Mustangs push No. 9 Dakota State late in loss

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Morningside University women's basketball team put up a tough fight on Saturday, but fell short in a 78-68 loss to No. 9 Dakota State.

The Mustangs (4-4) closed the gap to three points with 1 minute, 39 seconds remaining, but the Trojans sealed the win at the free-throw line down the stretch.

The Mustangs had 18 second-chance points during the loss, and it forced 14 DSU turnovers.

Alexis Spier led the Mustangs with 18 points on 6 of 14 shooting. She made four of her team's seven total 3-pointers, and she also led Morningside with three steals.

Sam Ehlers scored 14 off the bench, as she played 20 minutes. She was 5-for-7 from the floor.

Ella Wragge had a team-high nine rebounds, while in assists, Jordyn Carr led with five.