Women's Basketball
Women's Basketball
NSIC Basketball: MSU 76, SCSU 65
Women's Basketball Rally Falls Short in 76-65 Loss to #3 Minnesota State University
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Talisha Barlow |
Mankato, Minn. – Third-ranked Minnesota State University, Mankato held off a second half St. Cloud State rally to beat the Huskies 76-65 Saturday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) women’s basketball at Bresnan Arena .
St. Cloud State is 18-6 overall and 11-6 in the NSIC. The Mavericks who lead the NSIC and are the top ranked team in the Central Region improved to 23-1 overall and 16-1 in the NSIC.
St. Cloud State was led by senior guard Katie Tacheny (Woodbury) and sophomore guard Talisha Barlow (Little Canada) with 18 points each. Senior guard Anna Cashman (Faribault) added 13 points including three three-point baskets. Tacheny also had five assists and four steals, and made seven of eight free throw attempts. After being out rebounded in the first half, the Huskies overcame that deficit to win the battle of the boards in the game, 38-34. SCSU shot 40 percent from the field and made 11 of 13 free throws in the game.
Three players scored in double figures for the Mavericks led by junior forward Liz Trauger with 17 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Joanne Noreen had 16 points and seven rebounds, and senior guard Heather Johnson added 15 points. The Mavericks shot 43.3 percent from the field and were 16 of 17 from the free throw line.
Minnesota State opened the game with a Joanne Noreen layup and Heather Johnson three to take an early 5-0 lead. St. Cloud State got on the board with a Rachel Booth jumper to end the run. With the Huskies trailing 9-8, MSU went on a 12-0 run to take a 21-8 lead before a Danielle Ellison three broke the Huskies scoring drought at the 10:46 mark. One minute later, MSU’s Tiffany Moe nailed a three to put the Mavericks up 24-11. The MSU lead increased to 39-19 when the Huskies went on a 7-0 run forcing the Mavericks to call a time out with a 39-26 lead at 2:46 in the first half. The time out sparked the Mavericks to a 10-4 run to give the home team a 49-30 lead at half-time.
The Huskies were led in the first half by Katie Tacheny with nine points and Talisha Barlow with eight points and five rebounds. St . Cloud State shot 38.5 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc but committed 13 turnovers. The Mavericks shot 51.7 percent from the field and made six of 11 three point baskets, and out rebounded the Huskies 17-14. Three Mavericks had ten points in the first half. Heather Johnson, Joanne Noreen and Liz Trauger all had ten as the Mavericks never trailed in the half.
The Huskies and Mavericks played even early in the second half each team scoring seven points by the 15:34 mark. Then the Huskies scored eight straight points, including back to back three’s and the Huskies trailed 56-45 seven minutes into the half. Flecia Foster ended the Mavericks scoring drought with a short jumper and pushed the lead to 58-45 at 12:06. A Talisha Barlow three brought the Huskies to within ten points, 58-48 at the 11:15 mark. St. Cloud State shot 50 percent from the field in the early going of the half. Once the Huskies drew to within ten, it turned into an up and down game with both teams pushing the ball up the court. An old fashioned three-point play by Liz Trauger put the Mavericks back on top by 13 points, 63-50 at the nine minute mark. Layups by Barlow and Tacheny dropped the MSU lead to single digits, 63-54 at 6:42. A feed from Tacheny to Booth and the Huskies closed to 63-56, but a Flecia Foster three put the Mavericks up 66-56. A Barlow basket and one and the Huskies were the closest they had been all game, 68-61 with 2:48 left. A Tacheny baseline drive and the Huskies trailed 68-63. With 1:22 on the clock, the Huskies called a time out with MSU leading 72-63 following two free throws by Joanne Noreen, the Mavericks went on
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