No. 17 Briar Cliff Pulls Away to Defeat Warriors in GPAC Opener

FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University opened its Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) schedule on Saturday, hosting No. 17-ranked Briar Cliff University inside the Wikert Event Center. The Chargers pulled away in the second half with strong play on both ends of the floor, defeating the Warriors, 88-48.

The first quarter was a competitive affair. A layup by Leah Redding gave Midland an 11-10 lead with three minutes to play. However, Briar Cliff responded with a layup and a three-pointer to go up 15-11 with 2:20 remaining. Neither team scored in the final two and a half minutes, leaving the Chargers ahead after one.

Briar Cliff extended its momentum in the second quarter, turning a late first-quarter surge into an 18-0 run. Adrianna Webster's free throws with 4:48 left in the half made it 28-11 in favor of the Chargers. Midland broke the drought with an Ellie Bovaird free throw and layups by Sarah Shepard and Jenna Weber but still trailed 32-16 at halftime.

The Warriors started the second half with a Weber layup, but the Chargers quickly regained control. A 19-6 run, capped by a Webster free throw with five minutes remaining in the third, pushed Briar Cliff's lead to 51-24. Midland answered with a 12-5 run, highlighted by five points each from Redding and Shepard. Erin Foxhall's layup in the closing seconds of the quarter trimmed the deficit slightly, but the Warriors still trailed 56-36.

Briar Cliff put the game out of reach with a 17-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters, building a commanding 73-36 lead. The Chargers sealed the victory by scoring 30 points in the final frame, cruising to the 88-48 win.

Offensively, Midland struggled, shooting just 31.1% from the floor and 14.3% from three-point range. The Warriors shot 63.7% from the free-throw line and out-rebounded the Chargers, 41-33. Briar Cliff countered with efficient shooting, scoring 40 points in the paint and adding 30 points from beyond the arc.

Shepard led the Warriors with a double-double, tallying 17 points and 14 rebounds in 33 minutes. Foxhall contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists in 27 minutes of action.

Midland (0-4, 0-1 GPAC) will return to action on Wednesday, November 20, hosting Mount Marty (6-1, 0-1 GPAC) at Wikert Event Center. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m. in Fremont.