MANKATO – Claire Jordan scored a career-high 30 points to lift Minnesota State to an 81-53 victory over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference women’s basketball at the Taylor Center.

MSU has now was 22 straight over SMSU with the Mustangs’ last win coming during the 2004-05 season.

MSU improves to 6-13 overall, 4-9 NSIC, while SMSU drops its second straight and is 4-13 overall, 3-11 NSIC.

Jordan made 12 of 17 field goals with three 3-pointers, while also recording four steals and one rebound. Claire Ziegler chipped in with 12 points, 13 rebounds and two blocked shots for the Mavericks.

SMSU finished the game shooting just 32 percent (22 of 68) and were outrebounded 48-34.

Erin Baxter led the Mustangs with 12 points on 5 of 13 shooting with a team-high six rebounds, while Caleigh Rodning finished with 11 points of 5 of 9 from the field.

SMSU struggled shooting in the opening quarter, missing its first eight shots, as MSU built a 9-0 lead in the first five and a half minutes. Baxter ended the scoreless streak with a 3-pointer at the 4:10 mark of the first quarter to start an 8-0 spurt by the Mustangs.

SMSU continued its strong play near the end of the first quarter and early stages of the second quarter as Baxter finished a three-point play to end a 17-4 run and give SMSU a 17-13 lead with eight minutes left in the second quarter.

Sarah Buysse would later give SMSU a 19-15 lead with seven minutes remaining, but MSU answered with a 19-2 to close the half to take a 34-21 advantage into the break. SMSU was 0 for 6 from the field and committed six turnovers during the MSU run.

SMSU shot just 29 percent in the opening half and committed 13 turnovers.

Buysse connected on a 3-pointer to open the second half, but MSU answered with an 11-2 run to push the lead to 45-26 with 6:21 left in the third quarter.

Trailing 48-28, Rodning scored five straight for the Mustangs midway through the quarter, but the Mavericks closed the quarter on an 8-4 run to take a 56-37 lead after three quarters.

MSU put the game away with a 13-6 run in the first four-plus minutes of the final quarter to earn its second win in the last four games.

Southwest Minnesota State continues road action next Friday, Jan. 26, facing MSU Moorhead with tip-off set for 6 p.m. MSUM is 15-3 overall and leads the NSIC North Division with a 12-2 record.

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications