by Tom Froemming
December 06, 2005
Before this weekend, the Minnesota State women's basketball team played five games decided by less than double digits. MSU head coach Lori Fish was convinced her team would have to grind out games all season long.
“We're always going to be in close games,” said Fish after her team played two close games a week ago. “We're never going to go blow people out. That's not our style.”
Fortunately for Fish and her blood pressure, MSU was able to pick up two blowout victories at the University of Nebraska-Omaha Doubletree Inn Classic. All 15 MSU players on its active roster played in both its 69-53 victory against Adams State Friday and the Mavericks' 86-56 drubbing of Mesa State Saturday. MSU is now 5-2 and off to its best start since the 2001-02 season.
“I said to the kids on the bench with about six minutes to go, 'Finally, I can sit back and enjoy it and just smile,'” Fish said. “It's nice to see everybody get in and just take a breather and not be on pins and needles the whole time.”
The Mavericks were able to put their opponents behind them due to a stellar defensive and rebounding effort, holding its opponents to a 31-percent shooting effort from the floor and posting a plus-29 rebounding margin for the weekend. Also, MSU connected on 80.4 percent of its free throws despite coming into the weekend hitting 67.4 percent of its shots from the charity stripe.
MSU senior center Arin Andrews scored 20 points and pulled down 12 rebounds Saturday. The senior center now has 10 20-point games and 20 double-doubles in her career. The West Concord, Minn., native hit 12-of-14 attempts from the floor during the weekend and is shooting 63.9 percent on the season.
Freshman Flecia Foster posted a pair of double-digit scoring efforts, scoring 12 Friday and 10 Saturday. Foster hit all eight of her free throw attempts this weekend and is shooting a conference-leading 91.7 percent from the line this season.
Fish received another good effort from Alanna Wahl, who is playing a team-high 30.1 minutes per game, as the junior guard pulled down a career-high and team-leading nine rebounds Friday.
The Mavericks look to pick up their third-consecutive victory Wednesday night when they host Concordia-St. Paul at 7 p.m. in the Taylor Center.
CSP hasn't lost to MSU since the 1999-00 season, posting a 5-0 record including two wins in the Taylor Center during that span.
“Us four seniors want to beat them so bad because we haven't ever beaten them,” Andrews said. “I believe this is the year that we can beat them … to get that win would be just huge.”
The Golden Bears have reached the NCAA Division II tournament in three consecutive seasons and posted a 25-8 record while advancing to the Sweet 16 last season. CSP comes into Wednesday's contest with a 2-3 record.
Arin Andrews was named Co-North Central Conference Player of the Week along with North Dakota's Ashley Langen and South Dakota's Bridget Yoerger.
Andrews ranks in the top-five in four categories in the North Central Conference. The two-time All-NCC selection ranks fourth in scoring with 15.9 per game, third in rebounding with 7.3 per game, second in field goal percentage with 63.9 percent and fourth in blocked shots with 0.86 per game. Andrews has solidified herself as one of the top-three players in the conference alongside All-Americans Lindsey Dietz of Minnesota-Duluth and Erika Quigley of St. Cloud State.
If Andrews manages to pull down four rebounds Wednesday, she will become the ninth player in school history to post 900 points and 600 rebounds in her career.
Tom Froemming is the Reporter Sports Editor
