Box score

WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Andrea Carter scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Midwestern State (4-0 overall) to a 68-54 win over Fort  Lewis (1-1) tonight at the D.L. Ligon Coliseum in the final game of the Comfort Inn Presents Ashbrook Classic.
 
“I give them credit for playing a good game,” said first-year FLC head coach Jason Flores. “They definitely came out with a lot of intensity – and we did too at the beginning. What ended up hurting us in the first half were our turnovers. The game tonight was allowed to be very physical, and we didn't really rise to that physicality in the first half. A lot of our turnovers came from that in the first half – just not being strong enough.”
 
A few adjustments, though, enabled FLC to carve into a 38-21 halftime deficit.
 
“We came back and cut it to five with about five minutes to go,” said Flores. “They got a couple of offensive rebounds that really effected and turned the game around. We just need to learn how to tighten those things up.”
 
Christie Groh notched her first double-double of the season with 11 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Skyhawks. Alex Easterbrook had 12 points and five assists, while Ashley Kuchar chipped in 11 points and went 3-of-6 from behind the arc despite playing less than half the game due to foul trouble.
 
Fort Lewis struggled offensively, shooting just 35.2 percent (19 of 54) from the field and 26.9 percent (7 of 26) from three-point range.
 
The Mustangs didn't shoot much better: 38.6 percent (22 of 57) from the field and 38.5 percent (5 of 13) from long distance.
 
A big difference, though, were free throws. The Mustangs made more free throws (19 made, 24 attempted) than Fort Lewis shot (9 of 13).
 
Kirsti Degelia and Shatoia Gober each scored 14 for MSU.
 
Midwestern State also owned a 40-33 rebounding advantage.
 
“The most important this is, 'Where do we go from here?'” asked Flores. “We came down here on the road and got a split. It was a great environment and a big crowd. It was a lot of fun to play in. We need to take this and get better from it.”
 
The Skyhawks next play at the Grand Canyon University Thanksgiving Classic next Friday and Saturday. FLC faces Minnesota-Crookston at noon next Friday and Grand Canyon at 2:30 p.m. next Saturday.