With the score tied at 3-3, the host Lady Bears (23-0, 9-0 AMC) rattled off 13 straight points take a 16-3 lead at the 13:13 mark. Mallory Albers hit back-to-back three-pointers to fuel the surge.

Following a free throw by senior post Melissa Mastrodonato with 12:51 to go that made it 16-4, Shawnee State scored nine more points to go up 25-4 with just under nine minutes left in the half.

A jumper by freshman wing Alexis Harkins (left) at the 8:38 mark ended a drought of 9:37 between field goals for MVNU (16-7, 3-6 AMC). However, the Lady Cougars managed just three more baskets the rest of the half as the Lady Bears built a commanding 41-13 advantage as the teams went to the locker rooms at the break.

Harkins led the Lady Cougars with four points and four rebounds in the first half. MVNU shot just 15.2 percent from the field (5-for-33), 6.2 percent from three-point range (1-for-16), and 50.0 percent from the free throw line (2-for-4). The Lady Cougars were also out-rebounded 30-20 in the first half.

Shawnee State was led by Albers and Alison Meyer with nine points apiece, while Becky Babione grabbed seven rebounds. The Lady Bears shot 41.0 percent from the field (16-for-39), 50.0 percent from three-point range (6-for-12), and 100 percent from the free throw line (3-for-3).

MVNU started the second half well with back-to-back baskets by Harkins and senior guard Rachel Fiely to close the gap to 41-17 with just 51 seconds gone by.

However, a 21-5 run over the next five minutes put Shawnee State firmly in control with a 62-22 cushion with 14:08 left in the contest. Babione, Meyer, and Albers each scored five points during the run.

The Lady Cougars did not give up, though, as MVNU cut the lead to 67-45 with 7:01 to play with a 23-5 run over their own as Fiely led the way with eight points including a pair of three-pointers.

From that point on, the teams traded points as the Lady Bears held on for the 76-53 victory to extend their winning streak to 23 straight games and kept them on top of the AMC standings with a 9-0 conference mark.

“We got off to a terrible start against a great team,” said MVNU coach Steve Gregory. “They beat us physically up and down the court in transition, with perimeter shooting, with penetration, with offensive rebounding, and with good, old-fashioned man-to-man defense.”

“Our team was stunned in the first half and decided to be a little more competitive in the second half,” said Gregory. “It was a night and day difference to our approach and physicality. We shot the ball pitifully in the first half and respectably in the second half. The same could be said for our defensive intensity. Unfortunately, we did not put two good halves together tonight and were not as competitive as we had hoped. We need to regroup and prepare for the next big test on Saturday.”

Harkins paced the Lady Cougars with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Fiely (right) added 10 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Sophomore post Amanda Himes also finished with nine points, seven rebounds, and three blocked shots. MVNU shot 27.4 percent from the field (20-for-73), 17.9 percent from three-point range (5-for-28), and 66.7 percent from the free throw line (8-for-12).

Meyer led Shawnee State with 17 points, while Albers tallied 14 points. Babione posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Bianca Barton handed out seven ssists. The Lady Bears shot 45.3 percent from the field (29-for-64), 42.1 percent from three-point range (8-for-19), and 76.9 percent from the free throw line (10-for-13).

The Lady Cougars will return to action on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. when MVNU will host the University of Rio Grande in an important AMC contest. The Red Storm are currently 15-7 overall and 5-2 in conference play.