MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State Moorhead women's basketball used an explosive effort from
Abby Berge to outpace Augustana on Friday evening. The Dragons toppled the Vikings, 74-61.
The Vikings would quickly build a 5-1 lead before
Abby Berge would enliven the Dragons. Berge would convert on an and-one, followed by a three-pointer to get the Dragons in front, 7-5. The junior was not done there, however, as she would cap an individual 9-0 run with another hoop and harm. MSUM would continue to hold control of the scoreboard as the first quarter dwindled as an
Ashton Safranski three-pointer put the Dragons up four points. After one frame, Moorhead led 20-17 thanks to nine points from Berge.
Moorhead would continue to push the pace into the second quarter, which flustered the Vikings. A midrange jumper from Safranski would bring the Dragons a nine-point lead near the midway point of the second quarter. After Berge scored again, MSUM's lead was at 14 points with less than four minutes to go. The Dragons would conclude the second quarter on an 8-0 run with Berge scoring four more points in the flurry. At the break, Moorhead led 45-25 thanks to a 62.5 percent shooting clip in the second period. The Dragons held the Vikings to just eight points in the quarter.
MSUM had the advantage again as the second half commenced, pushing their lead to 24 points thanks to a pair of makes from Safranski. A low-scoring quarter had the Dragons up 60-35 heading into the final frame.
Terryn Johnson connected on a late basket to give Moorhead its largest lead of the game to that point with just 10 minutes left to play. The Dragons would hold a lead as large as 27 points early in the fourth quarter before Augustana began to whittle the deficit. The Vikings used a fullcourt pressure to get as close as 13 points, but time would run out before the surge could be completed.
Moorhead would win the game 74-61 behind 22 points and eight rebounds from Berge, who shot 70 percent from the floor for the game. Johnson turned in her 24th career double-double, logging 16 points and 12 rebounds. Safranski was the key cog in the Dragon offensive machine all evening, scoring 17 points with seven assists. The sophomore was also pesky on defense, securing six steals as well as four rebounds.
Top Dragons
Steve d'Eustachio's Stat of the Game
The last time the Dragons played at home on this date was ten years ago tonight, when they smoked Southwest Minn. St. 75-45.
Up Next
MSUM (9-6, 6-5 NSIC) is back on the floor inside Nemzek Fieldhoouse tomorrow as they host Wayne State at 5:30 p.m.
