2008 Woodie Awards
Huskies snap losing streak vs Mankato
Pat Neumuth
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: Sports
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The victory snapped their five game losing streak. Their last win was Jan. 12 at home against Minnesota Duluth.
"This was a huge win, we don't like to lose. Losing is never an option," said senior captain Kayla Rengel. "We haven't been able do it yet, but we got a good win against a good team."
SCSU started the game with a 6-0 run.
It took the Mavericks 4:12 to get on the scoreboard.
MSU's Heather Johnson scored their first eight points. SCSU's stifling defense caused six MSU turnovers on their first six possessions. They didn't even attempt a shot in the first 3:16 of the game.
MSU tied the game up at 12, but that was as close as they got to the Huskies in the first half. The Huskies opened up the lead with a 12-3 run spanning 4:34.
SCSU was struggling to make their lay-ups in the first half. Head coach Lori Ulferts said lay-ups have been a problem for the team in the past couple games.
"It's so frustrating, but there is nothing you can do. It's a mental thing. If you're wide open, you just got to put it in there," Ulferts said. "I think we got over the barrier. They started dropping and they were the exact same shots."
Rengel shot 0-for-5 in the first half, but first-year guard Talisha Barlow racked in 10 first half points.
The start of the second was an inverse of the first. SCSU started off the second half with a 3:21 scoring drought. This drought sparked a Maverick 8-0 run until Rengel converted her first field goal of the game.
The second half turned into a physical game. Ulferts said the physicality of the game was frustrating. The team made adjustments with how the game was being played.
"We played smarter to counter the physicality of the game, but we wanted this one," Ulferts said.
MSU's Johnson hit a three to give the Mavericks their first lead of the game at the 15:10 mark. The Huskies didn't get the lead back until Anna Cashman hit a high arcing three-pointer. SCSU never lost the lead again.
The Huskies steadily opened up their lead. After Cashman's three to give the Huskies back the lead, the Huskies outscored the Mavericks 24-11 in the last 10:40 of the game.
Barlow finished with 20 points off of 7-for-11 from the field and 6-for-7 at the free throw line. Most of Barlow's points came on the drive to the basket.
"I just try and find the seams in the defense and if I didn't have I look to dish," Barlow said.
"She was awesome tonight," Rengel said about Barlow. "At half time, we just kept on encouraging her to keep pushing it. She can take anyone to the basket no matter how tall or fast they are."
Rengel finished the game with 13 points, six boards, six steals and six blocked shots.
The Huskies will try and keep their winning habits going at home in their next game against Nebraska-Omaha on Thursday.