Warriors Defeat CSM; Earn First GPAC Win

FREMONT, Neb. – Looking for their first conference win of the season, Midland University and the College of Saint Mary (CSM) took the floor for a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) contest on Wednesday night inside the Wikert Event Center. The Warriors used a big first quarter as they won going away, 69-42, over the Flames in front of a sparse home crowd. Fans were hindered from attending the game due to a recent winter storm that blanketed the area earlier in the week.

Gabby Beauperthuy sparked the Warriors' offense in the early stages, initiating a 13-2 run in the first quarter and contributing nine points in the run. Sarah Shepard added a three-pointer while Emma Shepard scored from the free-throw line. The Flames were held in check as the Warriors dominated the quarter and took a 19-4 lead after ten minutes of action.

In the second quarter, Beauperthuy continued to lead the Warriors as they used a 9-2 run to start the period. The Flames adjusted their defensive strategy which sparked a 13-1 run. Kennedy Darner broke the Warriors' scoreless streak with a three-pointer, but CSM answered with a three of their own just before halftime. At the intermission, Midland led 32-22.

After the break, the teams exchanged baskets throughout the early moments of the third quarter. Asia Bryant sparked a 9-2 run for the Warriors, giving them a healthy 52-34 lead heading into the final quarter.

In the final period, the teams matched each other's points before Midland picked up the intensity with their deep bench countering the limited players on CSM's sideline. The Warriors used a 10-0 run to go up 24 points, removing any doubt of the outcome. Midland secured its first conference win and saw a dozen players score in a 69-42 victory over the College of Saint Mary.

Gabby Beauperthuy led the team with 24 points. Jenna Weber and Sarah Shepard neared double-digits, scoring 9 points as the next highest for the Warriors. Sarah Shepard added five rebounds as MU edged CSM, 35-31, on the glass.

For the game, Midland shot 26-of-62 (41.9%) while CSM was 17-of-46 (37%). The Warriors were 6-of-16 (37.5%) behind the three-point line and had 18 assists on their 26 made field goals.

"We were disappointed with our defensive effort on Saturday so we needed to get back to what we do well and I thought the kids did a good job of digging in and making the post's life tough," commented head coach Shawn Gilbert. "We got hands on a lot of balls and made them take some tough shots. In the second quarter, we got a little stagnant, they got some transition buckets, and they were able to score 18 points. We talked in the locker room at halftime and owned it. I think coming back out, we only allowed them to score 20 the whole second half."

Midland (4-11,1-8 GPAC) will travel to Orange City, Iowa to take on (RV) Northwestern (10-5, 6-3 GPAC) in a conference matchup on Saturday afternoon. Tipoff is set for 2:00 p.m. inside the Bultman Center on January 13.