Millersville, Pa. -- Three days after setting a new career-high with 23 points scored, freshman
Lauren Lister tied the mark with another 23 points against Mansfield. The Marauders topped the Mountaineers 58-45 as Head Coach
Mary Fleig earned a win in her 400th career Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon.
Lister sliced and diced through the Mansfield defense on her way to six made field goals in the paint along with six trips to the free throw line. The guard has made the most of her two straight starts on the offensive end, but she made key plays on defense as well. Lister's court vision and active hands earned her three steals against the Mountaineers. Arguably, Lister's biggest play of the game came on the defensive end late in the fourth quarter as the Mountaineers tried to mount one last comeback. Mansfield's Brielle Kelly was a defensive mismatch all game with 21 points, and she was barreling into the paint as Lister rooted herself to the floor and drew the charging foul on Kelly. It was Kelly's fifth foul which forced her out of the game, and Mansfield's comeback lost its teeth in the final two minutes as the top scoring Mountie finished the game on the bench.
The Marauders struggled to get their shots to fall as the team only converted 18-57 from the field and only 1-11 from the three point line. Millersville's 31 percent shooting marked its second lowest shooting percentage in a victory this season. The only other time Millersville won a game and shot under 40 percent was in their season opener against UVA-Wise.
Even though the shots did not fall at the same clip as they did against East Stroudsburg, the Marauders' aggression paid dividends at the charity stripe and guaranteed the victory. Millersville shot 21-24 from the free throw line which marked the most free throws made in a single game this season as well as the third highest percentage made. Millersville is 8-1 this season when they shoot 75 percent or better from the free throw line. Complimenting Millersville's accuracy at the charity stripe was Mansfield's inaccuracy. The Mountaineers converted only 8-20 free throws which was a significant factor in Mansfield losing by a 13-point margin.
Millersville's domination in the paint and the turnover battle also determined the positive outcome. The Marauders relentlessly drove the lanes and outscored the Mountaineers 28-18 in the paint. Furthermore, Millersville forced Mansfield into 15 turnovers and scored 17 points off those turnovers. While the Marauders conceded 13 turnovers of their own, they recovered quickly in transition and held the Mountaineers to only two points off turnovers.
Millersville's back court tandem powered the offense against Mansfield. The aforementioned Lister balled out while senior
Alayah Hall was the only other Marauder to breach double digits. Hall scored 17 points on 42 percent shooting while also converting 7-8 free throws. The guard continued her scoring streak with her 17th straight game scoring in double figures while marking her 18th game this season where she scored 10 or more points.
Millersville improved to 10-9 overall and 7-9 in the PSAC with its victory over Mansfield. The Marauders' victory avenged their 54-60 loss at Mansfield earlier in the month while widening the gap between the teams who sit fourth and fifth respectively in the standings. Millersville still sits one game behind Kutztown after the Golden Bears defeated Shippensburg 67-56 Saturday afternoon.
Millersville enjoyed a two game winning streak back at Pucillo Gym, but the Marauders must embark on another road trip. Millersville will look to improve on its 2-5 record away from Pucillo Gymnasium when it heads to PSAC East leading West Chester University on Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m. The Golden Rams previously defeated the Marauders 76-69 in Millersville at the beginning of the month. After their game against West Chester, the Marauders head to Cheyney on Feb. 3 at 1 p.m.
