MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE GA M E DAY - D E C E M B E R 1 6, 2 0 2 0
MUSTANG BASKETBALL though. Peppers has grabbed just over six rebounds, dished out better than three-and-a-half assists, picked off nearly two-anda-half steals, and blocked one opponent shot per outing. Due to that roll, she’s among the conference’s first five in scoring (18.22 points per outing – No. 2) and field goal percentage (48.3 – 3rd) through nine contests. Senior guard Sierra Mitchell, who’s also been on a scoring bonanza of late with six consecutive double-figure totals of which four have been for 20-or-more, is first points-wise (18.67 per outing), and sophomore guard McKenna Sims is second in assists (4.44 per game).
Tonight marks the final pre-Christmas doubleheader on Morningside College’s 2020-21 schedule. Following the clash with the Tigers of Dakota Wesleyan University in Great Plains Athletic Conference action, head coach Jamie Sale’s women’s team and head coach Jim Sykes’ men’s squad are scheduled to travel to Hastings College Sunday, Dec. 20. After the weekend matinees, the Mustangs’ women’s program is back home for a New Year’s Eve make-up game against Northwestern College. At the same time, the men don’t step on the court until Saturday, Jan. 9, when they’re part of a pair of home match-ups against Hastings, which begin the second half of the league schedule.
THE MATCH- UP Dating back to the beginning of 2016-17, the women’s series has been back-and-forth. DWU holds a slim,m 6-3 margin with the two sides winning on their home floors last year. Among the more even head-to-head men’s series in Morningside history, Dakota Wesleyan enters the evening leading the Maroon 15-14 all-time. Mside’s won three of the last four. Junior forward Sophia Peppers’ run of five straight 20-pointplus contributions is part of an impressive statistical line in the span. She’s amassing 23 points per game due to hitting better than 52 percent from the field. The highlights don’t end there,
The trio’s play against Concordia University on Dec. 12 added to their merits. Peppers, guiding three Mustangs in double figures, went nine-of-13 from the field (69.2 percent clip), was a perfect five-for-five at the free-throw line, and canned one of two three-point attempts for a 24-point outing. That effort, coupled with Mitchell, who hit five three-pointers en route to 21 points and a 10-point afternoon from freshman post player Chloe Lofstrom, helped lift the home team. Their play was just part of the story that led Morningside to improve their record to 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the conference with an 86-67 decision, though. Junior forward Taylor Rodenburgh added a balanced seven-point, seven-rebound, four-assist contest; Sims finished with six points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals; and senior guard Grace Meyer ended with six points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals, too.