Box Score
Box Score
MANKATO, Minn. – Riding a six game win streak and one of the hottest teams in the conference, the Minnesota State University Mavericks (11-3, 7-3 NSIC) made their final four free throws to secure the 62-59 victory over the Northern State Wolves (9-7, 5-6) in Northern Sun Intercollegiate action Friday night.
Laura Weber got the Mavericks on the scoreboard first when Alli Hoefer found her cutting to the basket for the easy lay in.
Northern State jumped on the board for the next six points in part with Alison Kusler scoring four and Emily Becken on a lay in.
Mikayla Barondeau connected on a three point basket with 6:14 remaining in the first half to give the Wolves their largest lead of the contest of ten points in the 24-14 score.
Minnesota State would end the half on a 9-2 run to cut into the Wolves lea 26-23 at the half.
Jennie Noreen got the Mavericks started coming out of the half by swishing a contested three point basket, to tie the game at 26 apiece.
Hoefer gave the Mavericks their first lead since the opening bucket when she connected on a lay up at the 19:09 mark in the second half.
The Wolves would hold their final lead of the game with 14:53 left, when Becken hit on a scooping shot in the paint.
Minnesota State would ensue on a 12-4 run over the next six minutes giving the Mavericks a 47-38 lead with 8:27 remaining.
Freshman Sadie Stotesbery put a temporary stop on the Maverick surge, swishing a trey from 23 feet straight on.
The Mavericks answered with a three of their own from Noreen just 18 seconds later.
Twice Noreen would connecting on lay ups to increase the lead to 11 for the Mavericks, which would be the largest lead in the game for either team.
Becken again would go into the paint for a scoop lay in to start a 7-0 run for the Wolves, which included a conventional three point play from Sarah Hintz and a one-on-one move from Becken.
With 2:01 left in the game, Barondeau found Hintz in the lane for a wide open lay up, cutting the Maverick lead to just four.
Jamie Bresnahan swished a jumper from the right wing to increase the lead for the MSU back up to six as the scoreboard showed 1:43 remaining.
Hintz scored the final of her nine points on a jump shot to cut the lead back to four with 1:24 left on the clock.
After a missed Noreen three point attempt, Becken came to the Wolves end of the floor and swished a three of her own with 32 seconds left.
Down one and the shot clock off, the Wolves were forced to foul putting Aubrey Davis on the free throw line, connecting on both.
Showing 24 seconds on the clock and down three, the Wolves took a three point attempt from Barondeau that went long and picked up by Davis from MSU.
Davis once again made both attempts for the Mavericks, leading to the 62-59 Maverick victory.
Emily Becken had a game high 20 points for the Wolves while Alison Kusler was the only other Wolves player in double figures with ten points.
Mikayla Barondeau had nine of the 37 rebounds for the Wolves, compared to just 33 for the Mavericks.
The Wolves return to the hardwood tomorrow night in Marshall, Minnesota, in a 6 p.m. contest against Southwest Minnesota State.
