Box Score MANKATO, Minn. – Balanced scoring and hot shooting efforts provided Minnesota Morris (10-7, 7-0 UMAC) with all they needed on Saturday as they pulled away from Bethany Lutheran (5-13, 3-4 UMAC), winning 86-74. The Cougars have now won eight straight games and have wins over every UMAC team halfway through the conference season. Kendra Wycoff and Emily Mehr each had 18 points on the night.
 
Kayla Kramer had 12 points and Emily Auch and Abby Fragodt each had ten, as five scorers were in double figures for the Cougars. Morris shot over 50.0% in both halves as the outshot a Vikings team that was 12-27 from behind the three point arc. The key to victory was the Cougars outscoring BLC 23-5 in points off turnovers. Morris had an 18-4 assist to turnover ratio on the day compared to the Vikings who had a 14-15 assist to turnover ratio.
 
Kramer started the scoring for the Cougars as her three pointer in the opening minute of play tied the game at three. The Vikings got the lead back and held Morris at bay until Mehr hit a jumper to give UMM their first lead of the game at 12-10. The game would go back and forth for the next ten minutes of play. The Vikings held a 35-29 lead with 4:11 left but the Cougars caught fire in the final four minutes and finished the half on a 12-0 run to take a 41-35 lead into the break. During the run Wycoff had five points and Mehr had three. Wycoff led the team with 10 points in the first half.  
 
Bethany Lutheran came out of the break on fire, battling back to take a 47-44 lead with 16:32 left. Fragodt hit a three pointer to tie the game at 47 just 26 seconds later. Much like the first half the two teams went blow for blow as neither team had a lead larger than five until the final five minutes of the second half. Trailing 67-65 with 8:29 left Morris went on a 19-7 run to take an 84-74 lead with 2:13 left. Wycoff had six points to lead the team during the run. The Vikings could not manage a point in the final 3:18 as the Cougars picked up the 86-74 win.
 
Minnesota Morris is back in action on Tuesday night as they take on Crown at 5:30 p.m. in St. Bonifacius, Minn.