MANSFIELD, Pa. – Millersville women's basketball started and finished strong with Lauren Lister leading the way tallying 34 points in the team's first victory of 2020. The Marauders pulled ahead for good with eight minutes remaining in the final quarter to defeat Mansfield 63-60 on the road.
 
Lauren Lister went 13-of-26 shooting and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe for 34 points. The junior guard tacked on seven rebounds and four steals. Mia Leonard returned to the court for the Marauders putting up 14 points and 11 rebounds for her first career double-double.
 
The Marauders improve to 6-12 overall and 3-10 in PSAC play. Mansfield falls to 3-16 on the season and 1-12 in conference play.
 
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
• The Marauders and Mountaineers traded points through the first few minutes of the game until a 10-1 run from Millersville starting at the 4:18 mark and lasting through the end of the quarter gave Millersville a strong 10-point lead, 17-10.
• Mansfield's momentum kicked in during the second quarter outscoring Millersville 22-8. A 3-pointer from Mansfield at 4:49 brought the team back within one point of the lead, 20-19. The Marauders answered with a short 3-0 run to create a four-point gap that Mansfield once again cut to a single-point with a bucket from downtown. A last second 3-pointer put the Mountaineers up 29-25 heading into the second half.
• Millersville regained control early in the third quarter off of back-to-back Leonard layups and a Samantha Brusha fast break layup. The Marauders followed up with a 9-1 run through the next five minutes. A series of Mountaineer free throws tied it up at 40-40 with 50 seconds remaining, but a made Leonard free throw gave the Marauders a one-point lead going into the final quarter, 41-40.
• 1:20 into the fourth quarter, Mansfield took the lead for the first time in the second half off a Sydney Reed three. Two Lister free throws put the Marauders back in control, 45-44. An Olivia Mottern 3-pointer with five minutes left in the game gave Millersville a two-point lead that they would hold onto throughout the rest of the game. Mansfield's Reed sunk a three to make it a one-point game with five seconds remaining, but two Courtney Dimoff free throws sealed the deal.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• The 34-point effort from Lauren Lister marks the third time the junior has reached the 30-point plateau this season. It marks a new season-high and is just four points off from her career-high 38 points.
• Mia Leonard's 14 points ties her career-high. The 14-point effort and 11 rebounds marks the first career double-double for Leonard and just the second from a Marauder this season.
• Olivia Mottern led the team from beyond the arc tallying two 3-pointers and 10 points. She went 2-of-2 from the charity stripe.
• Millersville shot 39.0 percent from the field, 17.6 percent from the 3-point range and 70.0 percent from the free throw line. The Mountaineers shot 32.3 percent and 31.0 percent from the field and 3-point range, respectively.
• The Marauders led in points in the paint (38-18), second chance points (12-5), fast break points (15-6) and bench points (14-13). Mansfield capitalized on points off turnovers (17-15).
• Millersville out rebounded Mansfield 46-41. Mansfield forced 17 turnovers while Millersville forced just 13.

HEAD COACH MARY FLEIG QUOTES
• "Our kids worked so hard and they were so focused. It was their mental approach to this game, that we were going to get this game." 
• "Having Mia Leonard back was great. Lauren Lister had an incredible performance. She had a relentlessness to her and really finished it off. She was exceptional from going outside and inside. I'm seeing her hit threes consistently before and today."
• "The thing I liked about our team is that we stayed very positive through this. We had a great two days of practice on Thursday and Friday. I liked how they handled themselves through this whole process. This win is contagious. It's like getting over the hump. Let's get two more wins at home."
 
NOTES
• Millersville continues to led the all-time series against the Mountaineers 68-5. The Marauders now hold a five-game win streak in the series.
• The victory snaps Millersville's seven-game losing streak and marks the team's first victory in 2020. The Marauders are now 2-6 when playing on the road.
 
UP NEXT
• Millersville returns home to Pucillo Gymnasium to host West Chester on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. The game is Millersville's inaugural Pride Game sponsored by the President's Commission on Sexual and Gender Diversity.