Ten In A Row – Mustangs roll in top 15 NAIA tilt

SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Morningside University built a three-game Great Plains Athletic Conference cushion with an impressive midweek display Wednesday, Jan. 26.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' No. 8-ranked team overcame a hard-charging attack from visiting Northwestern College. The Red Raiders ranked No. 13 on the latest national coaches poll, kept things close throughout the first 20 minutes, and into a good share of the third quarter. They trailed by as little as four as late as midway through the third stanza before a game-changing 10-2 run for the home team proved to be the spark en route to an 81-63 victory.

Head coach Jamie Sale's squad managed to pick up its tenth successive victory behind a defense that corralled NWC's usually high-flying offense to its second-lowest output of the season and a chilly 43.9 percent overall and 30 percent three-point field goal display. In contrast, the Mustangs, moving to 19-3 overall and 14-1 in the conference, got a hefty dose of its output from the paint-patrolling duo of senior forward Sophia Peppers (Exira, Iowa) and sophomore forward/center Chloe Lofstrom (Armstrong, Iowa). Peppers posted a double-double of 23 points and ten boards, with Lofstrom not far behind (15 points and eight rebounds). 

The post-game boxscore also produced considerable individual efforts from senior guard Sierra Mitchell (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) and junior guard Makenna Sims (South Sioux City, Neb.). Mitchell tallied 19 points, and Sims took a shot at a double-double of a different style posting nine points and dishing out eight assists.

Mside continues a home and away week Saturday, Jan. 29. They travel to College of Saint Mary's Lied Recreation Center for a 2 p.m. tip-off.