BILLINGS, Mont. --The Minot State women's basketball team got a 31-point performance from the bench on the way to a 72-63 victory over the Florida Tech Panthers at Alterowitz Gymnasium Saturday in the D-II Tip-off Classic hosted by Montana State Billings.
The Beavers (1-1 overall) had two players score in double figures, led by Sydney Gustavsson, who had 17 points and two steals. Shawna Bruha tacked on 12 points from the bench and Taylor Goss added nine points and four assists.
Minot State out-rebounded Florida Tech 33-32 in Saturday's game, paced by six boards from Lorelei McIver. The Beavers also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and scored 14 second-chance points.
The Minot State defense was a problem in Saturday's game, forcing 19 Florida Tech turnovers while committing 16. Those takeaways turned into 23 points on the offensive end of the floor. Gustavsson's two steals led the way individually for the Beavers.
Coach's Comments
"It's great to get the first win and it's even greater when you're at a tournament with this caliber of quality basketball teams," Minot State coach Mike Brandt said. "We shot the ball extremely well which will prove this season to make all the difference in the world.
"The players and coaching staff are very excited about this year's team's development," Brandt added. "Playing that third game in a row tomorrow will be quite a test!"
How It Happened
After falling behind 5-4, Minot State went on an 8-0 run with 7:14 left in the first quarter, culminating in a three from Jaime Skeggs, to take a 12-5 lead. The Beavers then added one point to that lead by the end of the period and entered the quarter break with a 20-12 advantage. Minot State relied on its three-point shooting in the period, knocking down four shots to account for 12 of its 20 points.
Minot State kept its first-quarter lead intact before going on an 8-0 run starting at the 9:51 mark in the second period, highlighted by a three from Maya Aguilar, to increase its lead to 28-12. The Panthers cut into that lead, but the Beavers still enjoyed a 39-28 advantage heading into halftime. Minot State was strong from deep in the period, knocking down five three-point shots to account for 15 of its 19 points.
Minot State continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 6-0 run, punctuated by a three from Bruha, to expand its lead further to 51-39 with 2:33 to go in the third. Before the conclusion of the third period, the Panthers had cut into that lead somewhat, but the Beavers still entered the fourth quarter with a 53-45 edge. Minot State knocked down three three-pointers in the quarter to score nine of its 14 total points.
Minot State kept its lead intact before going on a 7-0 run to grow the lead to 72-63 with 16 seconds to go in the contest, a score which would hold for the rest of the game. Minot State took advantage of five Florida Tech turnovers in the quarter, scoring seven points off of those takeaways.
Game Notes
» The Beavers shot well from three-point range, knocking down 13 of 29 long-range attempts.
» The Beavers never trailed after taking a 20-12 first-quarter lead.
» The Beavers shared the ball well, recording an assist on 76 percent of made field goals.
» The Minot State bench came alive by adding 31 points to its scoring output.
» Minot State had a 33-32 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Minot State defense forced 19 turnovers.
» Minot State cleaned up on the offensive glass, collecting 15 offensive boards in the game.
» Sydney Gustavsson led the Beavers with 17 points.
» Minot State got a team-high six rebounds from Lorelei McIver.
This article was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.
