BISMARCK, N.D. - One game after setting an NCAA era blocks record for the University of Mary Women's Basketball team, Hannah Larson swatted away a career-high six shots that powered U-Mary to a win against Minnesota State University.
 
The Marauders (12-13, 6-11 NSIC) also had another career night from Brittney Dietz as she moved up to the fourth spot on U-Mary's all-time scoring list as they took ahold of the lead midway through the second quarter and never let go for a 79-68 win over the Mavericks (6-15, 5-12 NSIC).
 
Larson got two of her blocks in the opening stanza against Minnesota State as the Marauders went low to get the offense in gear with the first four made baskets coming in the paint for an even 8-8 score by the 4:31 mark. A mid-range jumper from Sammie Delzotto gave the Mavericks a 10-8 lead, but Larson kick started a brief 7-0 run from beyond the arc that put the Marauders ahead at 15-10 with 2:41 remaining in the frame.
 
Minnesota State closed within one after four straight points, but Haley Hibbs fired off a shot from long range, coupled with a pair of free throws from Dani Williams, to give U-Mary a 20-14 lead with 1:13 left in the first. The Mavericks had the last say in the quarter, however, as Monica Muth dropped a perimeter shot and Delzotto made the buzzer-beating layup to keep the Marauders within striking distance at 20-19 heading into the second.
 
Claire Ziegler provided a quick burst for Minnesota State at the start of the second with back-to-back layups and a 23-20 lead, but Dietz sunk a timely three-pointer to even the score at 23-23 with 7:27 remaining in the half. Ziegler added a free throw less than a minute later for a 24-23 Maverick lead, but a layup from Dietz took the lead away and gave the Marauders a 25-24 advantage at the 6:39 mark.
 
U-Mary would not surrender the lead for the remainder of the game.
 
The Marauders matched Minnesota State shot-for-shot through the rest of the quarter as the Mavericks never got within three points after the five-minute mark and U-Mary went into half holding onto a 40-35 lead.
 
U-Mary's defense kicked into high gear, as they are prone to do in the second half, and opened up the third quarter with a 10-4 run thanks to four points from Dietz, three from Larson, and three from Dani Clarke, to put the Marauders ahead at 50-39 with 3:07 left in the frame.  Madison Lee snapped the scoring drought with a three-pointer at the three-minute mark, but U-Mary closed out the period on an 8-2 run thanks to five points from Dietz and a dagger three from Williams for a 58-44 lead going into the final quarter.
 
The Marauders kept the Mavericks at bay through the early portions of the fourth, but Minnesota State slowly whittled down U-Mary's lead to single digits at 75-66 with 38 seconds remaining in the game. Yet their efforts were in vain as Williams and Dietz ended the game from the charity stripe with four made free throws at to cruise to the 79-68 win.
 
In addition to her career mark in blocks, Hannah Larson added 18 points on 7-for-17 shooting, five rebounds, four assists, and one steal in 34 minutes played.
 
Brittney Dietz finished with 29 points on 9-for-20 shooting from the floor, 9-for-12 from the line, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 36 minutes on the court. Dietz now has 1,712 points, moving her past Patti Mercer and into fourth place on U-Mary's all-time scoring list.
 
Dani Williams rounded out the triumvirate with 14 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal in 32 minutes of action.
 
Rachel Weir continues to shine in the starting role with eight points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes.
 
Hayley Niles provided the spark in the post coming off the bench as she ended with four points, six rebounds, and one block in an incredibly active 15 minutes of game time.
 
The Marauders will host Concordia University-St. Paul tomorrow afternoon starting at 4:00 PM, to continue the Samaritan's Feet and It's A Slam Dunk Don't Drive Drunk Weekend at the McDowell Activity Center.
 
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