Defense Rules in Lady Mustangs Win

Despite an off night shooting, The Master's women's basketball team defeated Life Pacific 63-43 Thursday night in The MacArthur Center.
 
The win puts the Lady Mustangs alone in fifth place in the GSAC, important since the season ends a week from Saturday and only the top six teams will go to the post-season conference tournament.
 
TMU (16-7, 9-6 GSAC) shot 23 of 63 (37%) from the field, and only 5-20 from 3-point range. The defense, however, limited the Warriors to 34% and 4 of 21 from long range.
 
The biggest difference came off the glass as TMU out-rebounded LPU 55-24, including 22 offensive boards that provided second chances. The 31-rebound differential is the team's season high.
 
"We were solid on the glass tonight," said Head Coach Lisa Zamroz. "We created a lot of opportunities for offensive rebounds by missing chip shots inside, but converted several of the second chance attempts."
 
The Master's had opened up a 14-point lead early in the second quarter, only to see Life Pacific methodically chip away and close out the half on a 15-7 run to draw within six. The third quarter saw the Lady Mustangs defense step up, out-pacing the Warriors 22-6 and take a 22-point lead into the final 10 minutes.
 
But just as the first half ended with LPU fighting back, so did the second half, with the Warriors winning the quarter 14-12. But it was too little too late.
 
"We struggled to stay focused at times, which allowed them to get comfortable and make a late run that we shouldn't have allowed," Zamroz said.
 
Life Pacific's Bryanna Felix had scorched the Lady Mustangs for 31 points in the two teams' first meeting back on Dec. 8, but Felix was held to 11 Thursday.
 
"Felix hurt us when we played at their place, (but) I thought we handled her much better tonight," Zamroz said.
 
Ella Brubaker finished with 19 points and Marin Lenz added 12. The defensive star was Madeline Cooke who pulled down 16 rebounds, one shy of her career high.
 
The Master's will be on the road Saturday against No. 14 Vanguard in Costa Mesa. Then it's back home for the final two games of the regular season, which may prove critical if TMU wants to get to the GSAC Tournament, hosted by Menlo College.
 
"It's a quick turnaround before a great opportunity for us to take on a ranked Vanguard Saturday," Zamroz said. "We need to be our best to give ourselves the chance to play up at Menlo in a few weeks."