WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead women's basketball team fell to Rogers State, 85-63 in the regular-season opener for both teams on Friday at the Regional Challenge in Warrensburg, Mo.
The Dragons, who were playing without forwards
Peyton Boom,
Shyanne Loiland and
Raegan Alexander, fell to 0-1 while Rogers State improved to 1-0.
Freshman guard
Natalie Jens had 14 points in her collegiate debut for MSUM. Junior guard
Mariah McKeever added 13 points while senior forward
Emma Thuringer had a career-high 11 points.
Thuringer and freshman forward
Paige Thompson had seven rebounds apiece while junior guard
Natalie Steichen had three assists. Jens had two steals.
The Dragons had a 29-25 edge in rebounds. Rogers State shot 54 percent (27-of-50) compared to 39 percdent (23-of-59) for the Dragons.
MSUM was down 27-10 in the second quarter but battled back to within 37-31 later in the quarter after a pair of free throws by senior guard
Nicole Herbranson. The Dragons trailed 38-31 at half.
A basket by freshman forward
Allisa Knight brought the Dragons within 41-37 in the third quarter but Rogers State outscored the Dragons 21-11 over the final 7:23 to extend the lead to 62-48 heading into the final quarter.
MSUM faces No. 6 Central Missouri at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday.
