Mariah Stacona (Warm Springs Tribe) Scores 18 Points Against No. 1 Morningside Mustangs

Box Score SIOUX CITY, Iowa – No. 1 ranked Morningside showed why they are the top team in the NAIA this season with a convincing, 90-48, victory over Northwest University tonight in Sioux City. The Mustangs shot 54  percent for the game and an impressive 61 percent in the second half on the way to their third straight win of the season.

Morningside jumped out early with a 15-0 run to start the game aided by 6 Northwest turnovers and 0-3 shooting. The Mustangs would lead 18-6 at the end of the first quarter and would slowly pull away from the Eagles who flew into Iowa the day of the game.

Trailing 27-10, Northwest  would get four straight points from freshman guard, Mariah Stacona, (Warm Springs Tribe) to cut the Mustang lead to 27-14 with 3:37 left in the half. But, Morningside would outscore NU 14-2 the remainder of the period to take a commanding 41-16 lead at halftime.

By the end of the third quarter Morningside would increase their lead to 40 points, taking a 71-31 lead into the final period.  Northwest would not quit as the Mustangs would outscore the Eagles 19-17 in the final quarter on their way to posting the 90-48 win.

Freshman Mariah Stacona led Northwest U (2-1) with 18 points while another freshman, Miranda Langenhorst contributed six points for the Eagles who shot 33 percent for the game. NU managed just 24 percent from the 3-point line going 5 for 21 from beyond the arc.

Morningside (3-0) had four players in double figures led by Lauren Lehmkuhl’s 13 points and 9 rebounds. Rachelle Housh added 12 points and Madison Braun added 11 points for the Mustangs. Morningside held a 44-27 rebound margin and forced 30 NU turnovers while committing 25 of their own.

“It was a great learning experience for us tonight,” commented NU head coach, Ken Crawford. “We had a chance to play the defending national champions and the No. 1 team in the country. We learned a lot about ourselves and a lot about what it’s going to take to be able to play at this level. I’m looking forward to continued learning and growth of this team.”

Northwest U now travels to Sioux Center, Iowa for the Holiday Inn Express Tournament at Dordt College and they play Dordt tomorrow night at 8 p.m. CST and Dakota State on Saturday before returning to Kirkland.