(Editor's note: Miles Community College media releases)
BISMARCK, N.D. -- The Miles Community College men's and women's basketball teams traveled to Bismark, N.D. for a doubleheader with Bismarck State on Thursday. The MCC men overcame a slow start on their way to a 97-83 win, while the MCC women saw their 22-game conference winning streak come to an end with a 97-59 blowout loss.
Miles Community College men 97, Bismarck State 83
Things were not looking good early in the first half as Bismarck State jumped out to a 15-2 lead early before the Miles CC Pioneers righted the ship and cut the deficit to 49-43 at halftime.
Issac Abergut and Akeemis Williams each had big second halves as Miles outscored Bismarck State 54-34 and cruised to a 97-83 win in Bismarck, N.D.
Abergut scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half and grabbled 11 rebounds, while Williams scored all 16 of his points after the break, and the Pioneers moved to 5-2 in MonDak Conference play and 13-9 overall. The Mystics (2-5, 5-18) were led by freshman Jamison Kramer, who came off the bench to score 26 points, including 20 in the first half. The Pioneers shot 21 of 34 from the field in the second half, including an 8-of-15 effort from the 3-point line. The Mystics cooled off from a 51 percent first half by shooting only 11 of 35 in the second half.
Also scoring in double figures for the Pioneers was Jayvon Lewis with 15 points, eight assists and four steals, and Favour Chukwukelu had a solid night with 13 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Gedeon Buzangu added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Jakim Ricketts hit for 10 off the bench and Gabe Gundlach came off the bench to score eight points in the first half to help lead the comeback efforts. The Pioneers had 23 assists on the game while only committing nine turnovers.
Joe Jahner had 13 for the Mystics while Macauley Young had 12 points and 13 rebounds. Leyton Lang had 11 points and 16 rebounds on the night as Bismarck State out-rebounded the Pioneers 48-42. MCC will host United Tribes Tech on Monday night at the MCC Centra.
Bismarck State women 97, Miles Community College 59
The Bismarck State Mystics seized control of a close game midway through the second quarter and rolled in the second half enroute to a 97-59 win over the MCC Lady Pioneers. The loss snapped a 22-game conference winning streak the Lady Pioneers started last season during their return to the MonDak Conference. Mystic sophomore Amber Stevahn, the nation's second-leading scorer at 24 points per game, scored 27 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead five Mystics in double figures.
Miles led 29-26 midway through the second quarter when leading scorer Binta Salawu picked up her third foul and had to go to the bench. Bismarck State then went on a 20-4 run before halftime and scored the first six points of the third quarter to turn the close game into a blowout. Courtney Olson added 16 points for the Mystics, while Lauren Koski hit for 14. Emma Marion and McKenzie Johnson both scored 12 as Bismarck State tied the Lady Pioneers in the race for the MonDak Conference regular-season title. Forward Trae Murray had a nice game with 11 rebounds and five assists. The Mystics forced the Pioneers into 27 turnovers and held MCC to 28 percent shooting (19 of 69) and limited the Pioneers to only seven second-half field goals (7 of 34).
The Pioneers were led by sophomore Claire Borot, who had 17 points and eight rebounds before fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Freshman Lili Long scored 16 points and had seven rebounds as no other MCC player scored in double figures. Leading scorer Salawu was held to just nine points on 2-of-16 shooting. Bismarck State held a 47-39 edge on the boards and totaled 24 assists on the game.
Next up for MCC is a home game against United Tribes Technical College on Monday, Feb. 3 at 5:30 p.m.
