MINOT, N.D. – A cold opening quarter spelled doom for Minnesota State Moorhead women's basketball on Thursday evening. The Dragons fell in a hole early and could not quite climb out in a 78-68 loss to Minot State.
To open the contest, both teams would struggle to find points as Moorhead would be held without a field goal through four minutes. Minot State would find their footing near the midway point of the first quarter, leading 11-2.
Terryn Johnson would get MSUM's first field goal just over seven minutes into the game.
Adie Wagner would knock in a three-pointer before the quarter ended. However, Minot State led 17-7 as the Dragons shot two of 17 from the floor through the first 10 minutes.
Minot State would continue to heat up into the second quarter, building a lead as large as 16 points (27-11). It was Moorhead who would surge from there as
Ayelishka Teko-Folly took over. The Dragons would look down low to Teko-Folly consistently as she would pace an 8-0 run to get Moorhead within eight points.
Late in the quarter, a pair of threes from
Karlee Fisher and
Aubrey Morrison would have the Dragons within four points. By halftime, Minot State led 32-27. Teko-Folly and Johnson each scored seven points in the first half for the Dragons. Johnson added seven rebounds through 20 minutes.
The Dragons would get as close as three points early in the third quarter following a triple from
Ashton Safranski. Minot State would hit on another run from there, rebuilding their lead to 10 points (42-32) with six minutes to play in the period.
Grace Massaquoi would score four quick points to help pull the Dragons back within six points. Back-to-back triples from Wagner and Safranski would have the contest within a possession (48-46). Minot State led 55-51 after three quarters.
Moorhead would quickly make the game a one possession affair (58-56) after Johnson converted on an and-one. Minot State would respond by creating a nine-point lead midway through the final quarter. That lead proved too much for the Dragons to overcome as the Beavers won 78-68. Moorhead shot just 30.7 percent from the floor for the game with Johnson securing a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds. Safranski scored 12 points with five assists, five steals and four rebounds.
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Up Next
MSUM (4-4, 1-3 NSIC) takes on the UMary Marauders on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
