OLATHE – MNU earned their third straight win to start 2024 on Wednesday, as the hot-shooting Pioneers handed Benedictine Women's Basketball its second straight road loss.
The Pioneers connected on 70 percent from the floor and 71.4 percent from beyond the arc in the second half en route to a 73-62 win over the Ravens.
Benedictine opened the game on a 9-0 run off a 3-pointer from Lauren Dubbert and a pair of baskets in the paint from Riley Rottinghaus and Aaliyah Raines. The Ravens extended that advantage to as much as 12 points before taking a 21-13 lead into the second quarter.
MNU started to heat up in the second quarter, but Benedictine was able to match them offensively to remain in the lead. After the Pioneers closed within one point just under 4 minutes before halftime, the Ravens held the Pioneers to just one field goal down the stretch to take a 34-29 lead into the half.
Benedictine extended their halftime lead to as much as 7 points twice inside the first two minutes of the third quarter, the last time coming on a pair of free throws from Dubbert with 7:33 left in the quarter. MNU went on a 16-0 run over the next five minutes of the quarter to erase the Ravens lead and pull ahead 49-40.
Back-to-back baskets from Dubbert and Nicole Storck ended the Pioneers run and pulled Benedictine back within 4 points before closing out the quarter and taking a 54-47 lead into the final 10 minutes of play.
Benedictine stayed with MNU in the fourth quarter, but couldn't break through as the Pioneers were able to keep the Ravens from making a run and getting any closer than five points – which came on the first basket of the quarter.
MNU finished the game shooting 46 percent from the floor while hitting 9 3-points – tied for their second most in a game this season – finishing at 47.4 percent.
Benedictine finished with a season-high 50 points in the paint as they finished with an 8-point advantage. The Ravens also finished with an 11-point advantage in points off turnovers, outscoring the Pioneers 24-13. Dubbert finished with 20 points, hitting all 4 of the Ravens 3-pointers. Jennifer Jacobs added 10 points while Raines finished with 8.
The Ravens return home on Saturday to host Graceland University at 2 p.m. inside the Ralph Nolan Gymnasium.
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