Story and photo from Hastings College
(Hastings, NE) – The women’s basketball team returned home to host Morningside on Saturday, raced out to a 14-2 lead and grew it into a 60-31 halftime lead. The Mustangs made up some ground late in the second half, but the Broncos cruised to an 89-71 win.
The Broncos scored the first seven points of the game in the first two minutes, starting with a three from senior Macy Bryant. Leading 7-2, they went on another 7-0 run, led by five points from sophomore Josilyn Miller, to take a 14-2 lead five minutes in. Miller later converted an and-one, then got a quick steal and layup to go up 24-7. Hastings scored 12 of the next 19 points after that to take a 36-14 lead after one quarter, led by 14 points from Miller.
In the second quarter, Morningside scored the first two baskets and Bose responded with a three-pointer. Sophomores Ann Bose and Adyson Mlnarik later grew the lead to 27 with a pair of threes with 5:34 to go in the third. Bose hit two more triples in the quarter, totaling four in the period alone, and Yates scored on their final possession of the half to go up 60-31 at the half.
Morningside scored the first five points in the third quarter, then senior Mariyah Avila and Bose knocked down threes. Hastings later grew their lead to 31 at 73-42 on a bucket inside from Bose halfway through the third. Miller scored a couple more times in the period and Hastings took a 79-49 lead into the fourth quarter.
Miller scored Hastings’ first five points of the fourth quarter, putting them up 85-52 with 7:34 left. Morningside would outscore Hastings 19-4 the rest of the way with Hastings taking off some of the defensive pressure and giving their reserves minutes, as the Broncos took the 89-71 win.
Morningside shot 42 percent from the field to Hastings’ 41 percent. Hastings held the Mustangs to 30 percent from three, while making 14 threes of their own. The Broncos forced 30 turnovers and turned those into 23 points.
Miller had a career-high 26 points off the bench, along with four steals and three rebounds. She shot 9-10 from the field, and made all three from deep and all five from the line. Bose hit five threes in her 18-points game and added eight rebounds.
Sophomore McKenna Yates had 14 points and six assists, while Bryant contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and five steals. Mlnarik also came off the bench for 10 points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
Up next, Hastings will play at #9 Concordia on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 6pm.
