SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Mayville State University began the final weekend of 2019 with a big performance in their opening game at the Country Inn and Suites Holiday Classic in Sioux City, Iowa. The Comets used a 28-point fourth quarter to power past the Briar Cliff University Chargers 70-62 in non-conference action Saturday night at the Newman Flanagan Center in Sioux City.
 
"The kids really competed well in the fourth quarter," Comets head coach Dennis Hutter said. "They really defended with toughness all night and made it tough for them to score."
 
The Comets and Chargers went back-and-forth for a majority of the first quarter, but it was the Chargers that jumped out to the first big lead of the day. With 5:05 to go, Andrea Skillingstad missed a two-pointer, and Jadyn Bussinger took advantage, passing the ball to Konnor Sudmann, who nailed a three-pointer, giving the Chargers a 14-8 lead with 4:49 to go in the opening quarter.
 
A three by Claire Blaszciek, sandwiched between two pairs of free throws by Kylee Heurung, gave Mayville State the momentum back. The latter two of Heurung's free throws gave the Comets a 15-14 lead with just under two-and-a-half minutes to go in the first quarter. Their lead would not last long, however, as Breanna Allen hit a three with 1:45 to go, putting the Chargers back in front 17-15.
 
Jordan Zrust, in fine fashion, responded quickly. The freshman took a pass from Taylor Skjordal and drained a three-pointer 26 seconds later, giving the Comets the one-point lead late in the first quarter.
 
Sudmann continued to do what she did all game—hitting a pair of free throws with 59 seconds left. Bussinger hit another pair of free throws with 33 seconds left, extending the Chargers lead to three points.
 
With the first quarter running out, Taylor Reilly was fouled by a Charger, sending her to the free throw line. Reilly made one of her two free throws, and the Comets trailed 21-19 heading into the second quarter.
 
Madelyn Deitchler extended the Briar Cliff lead to six points with 8:46 to go in the first half, leading off the second quarter with back-to-back buckets.
 
It took Mayville State nearly two-and-a-half minutes to get on the board in the second quarter, but Heurung did it again—she hit a pair of key free throws, pulling the Comets to within four points with 7:37 to go in the half. But, Taylor Lamprecht made sure to keep it at a two-possession ball game, hitting a shot in the paint with 7:19 to go, making it 27-21 in favor of Briar Cliff.
 
After a pair of Allen free throws, Alissa Foster nailed a three-pointer, bringing the lead to just five points. That sparked an 8-0 run that saw Zrust hit another key three and Nicole Bunting hit a bucket in the paint, tying the game with 4:24 to go in the first half.
 
"I'm really proud of their resiliency tonight," Hutter said.
 
Briar Cliff took a two-point lead on a Sudmann basket with 2:26 to go in the half.
 
After Deitchler made it a four-point game with 26 seconds left in the half, Blascziek pulled it to within two, where it would stand at halftime.
 
Sudmann made it a four-point game again with 7:30 to go in the third quarter, and then added three more points with a three-point play with 7:05 to go in the quarter. In all, the Chargers went on an 8-0 run in the first 6:12 of the third quarter, before Heurung made one of two free throws with 3:48 to go in the half. She then cut the lead to seven points less than a minute later, sparking a Comet run that saw them score nine unanswered points, capped off by a Heurung bucket that brought the Comets to within one point with 1:25 to go in the third.
 
Alyssa Carley's three-pointer with 3:50 to go in the game saw the Chargers take another four-point lead, but that's when the tables turned.
 
Three baskets by Zrust, and one three-pointer by Blascziek, put Mayville State up 63-58. Zrust nailed a pair of free-throws with 28 seconds left, countered by Deitchler's own free throw.
 
The Comets, however, iced the game as they hit five of their final six free throws, all in the last 26 seconds. Sudmann finished the game off with a buzzer-beater, but the Comets had the game comfortably in hand at the time.
 
Four Comets finished with double-figures in the scoring column—Blascziek led with 18 points; Heurung added 15; Zrust finished with 14 points; and Bunting finished with 10 points.
 
The Comets will take on #7 Morningside on Sunday at 1 p.m. to wrap up the Holiday Classic and the 2019 calendar year. Morningside defeated Valley City State University 86-55 Saturday in the opening game.
 
"It'll be a big test tomorrow against #7 Morningside," Hutter said.