Box Score
MINOT, N.D. – Struggles on the offensive end doomed the Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team in a 72-58 loss to Minot State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday in Minot, N.D.
MSUM fell to 4-3 overall and 0-3 in the NSIC with the loss while Minot State improved to 7-0 and 3-0 in the NSIC.
The Dragons shot only 36 percent (18-of-50) from the field, including just 25 percent (6-of-24) in the first half. They also committed 19 turnovers. Minot State had 19 turnovers but also shot 46.7 percent (28-of-60) from the field. The Beavers outrebounded the Dragons 39-28, including 13-8 on the offensive glass.
Senior forward
Morgan Zabel paced the Dragons with 15 points, three steals and two assists. Sophomore guard
Meghan Roehrich had 14 points, hitting 4-of-5 three-pointers. Senior guard
Haley Thomforde had six rebounds to lead the Dragons.
MSUM was down 15-6 early but answered with an 8-2 run to cut the lead to 17-14 with 9:08. Zabel had a three-point play and Roehrich added a three during the run for the Dragons.
However, the MSUM offense went cold, managing just three points over the final nine minutes of the first half as the Beavers extended their lead to 37-17 at halftime.
The Dragons were down 48-24 five minutes into the second half but went on a 19-5 run over a span of eight minutes to cut the lead to 53-43. Zabel led the charge with eight points while freshman guard
Natalie Van Wyhe had four.
However, 10 points was as close as MSUM could get as Minot State scored eight points in a row to push the lead back to 18 with 5:12 left.
Megan Strese had eight points for MSUM. Thomforde and Van Wyhe had seven points each. Van Wyhe's point total was a career-high.
The Dragons return home on Friday night to face Bemidji State. Game time is 6 p.m. at Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead, Minn.
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Tonight marks the first time the Dragons have started 0-3 in NSIC play, since the 1987/1988 season coached by Bobby Daniels. That Dragons squad started 0-6 in league play before beating Minnesota-Morris 72-70.
