BISMARCK, ND – After running off three straight wins to open their Northern Sun schedule, the University of Mary women's basketball team saw their streak end with a 71-61 loss to visiting St. Cloud State University. The loss also snaps the Marauders overall win streak at four.
Ryleigh Wacha scored a season-high 21 points for the Marauders.
Megan Zander added 15 as the Marauders slip to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the NSIC. SCSU improves to 6-2/3-1.
Both offenses came out clicking for much of the first half, exchanging baskets and staying within three points of each other. That scenario changed midway through the second quarter in a game featuring 12 lead changes and seven ties.
Down 29-28, the Marauders ripped off 12 straight points. Following a
Moriku Hakim basket in the paint,
Ryleigh Wacha followed with a 3-point play when she was fouled making a basket. A pair of free throws by both Wacha and
Megan Zander kept the run going before Zander drained a trey to push the Marauders advantage to 40-28. UMary finished the half with another layup by Hakim and went into intermission leading SCSU 42-31.
Able to slow the Marauders attack in the third, the Huskies forced their way back into the game and managed to tie the contest at 48-48. UMary quickly regained its offensive rhythm as
Julia Fitterer broke the tie with a trey in front of the Marauders bench. After a basket by the Huskies, Zander drained a trey from the either side of the court for a 54-50 UMary lead. The Marauders finished the third leading 54-51.
With the Marauders looking to create some separation with the visiting Huskies, Wacha converted another 3-point play as she was again fouled while converting a basket to give UMary a 61-57 lead with 7:04 to play.
It was the last points of the night for the Marauders as a sudden momentum shift went the way of the Huskies. SCSU rolled off the last 14 points of the game as UMary struggled to score and had ten straight empty possessions.
In addition to her 21 points, Wacha also added nine rebounds to just miss a double double. The sophomore was 8-for-14 from the floor and added three steals and two blocks.
Zander, who has reached double figures in each game this season, hit three treys on her way to 15 points and had six rebounds.
Megan Voit added 10 points, five rebounds and two steals.
Moriku Hakim came off the bench to contribute nine points and eight rebounds.
Julia Fitterer hit two treys for six points.
Jada Eggebrecht led SCSU with 21 points. Katrina Theis added 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Just 9-for-18 at the line, SCSU shot 49.1% from the floor overall and was 8-of-15 behind the arc. UMary shot 37.9% for the game.
The Marauders wrap up their first Northern Sun doubleheader weekend on Saturday, December 10, when UMary hosts the University of Minnesota Duluth at 3:30 pm in the McDowell Activity Center.
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