The Master's University women's basketball team rendered head coach Dan Waldeck "speechless" on Saturday. But, eventually, Waldeck found the words to summarize a whirlwind weekend in which the Mustangs swept a two-game series at OUAZ.
"These girls were amazing," Waldeck said. "To play two games within 16 hours with seven active players on the road in an extremely physical environment, and never blink — amazing."
The Mustangs won Saturday's game 67-52 behind 18 points from sophomore Olivia Prettyman. Master's led for nearly the entire game and played sound defense, an improvement from the night before when they needed a second-half surge to overcome a rough start.
Despite the adversity, TMU never folded.
"We just stuck together and knew what we had to do to get it done," said Prettyman, whose 18 points matched a career high set earlier this season. "We stayed positive and very encouraged, making sure no one dropped their heads."
Prettyman also hit on another crucial point: everyone contributed. And they had to. The Mustangs flew to Arizona with only three guards, a forward and two centers.
Prettyman played 31 and 35 minutes respectively in the two games. Rebekah Throns, a senior, averaged 36.5 minutes.
Throns totaled 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists on Saturday — hours after scoring a career-high 21 points in a 67-60 victory Friday.
Prettyman picked up the mantle on offense Saturday, making 5-of-9 shots, 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Tristen Coltom followed with 14 points, and Anika Neuman chipped in 12 points.
For the second game in a row, Jessica Soares was a force in the paint. The senior center had eight points and nine rebounds. She added three blocks.
Even after two wins, which improved TMU to 4-2 overall, Waldeck is confident the Mustangs can improve.
"We are going to keep getting better and reach our full potential," he said.
The Mustangs will host Arizona Christian on Jan. 29 and 30. No fans will be admitted, but live video and stats will be available at GoMustangs.com/Watch.
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