Two key runs help Mustangs win seventh straight

FOREST CITY, Iowa -- The Morningside men's basketball team delivered another strong offensive performance Wednesday night, defeating Waldorf 96-78.

After trailing 9-8 early, Morningside responded with a decisive 17-0 surge in the opening half. All eight made field goals during that run came in the paint. 

Morningside (16-5, 13-1 GPAC) carried a 48-30 lead into halftime after shooting 59 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes. The Mustangs continued to score efficiently in the second half and finished the game shooting 58 percent overall, matching their first-half output with another 48 points after the break.

Waldorf reeled its deficit within four points midway through the second half, and Morningside went on a 13-0 run to pull away from the home Warriors. Much like their first-half run, all five field goals made during that stretch were also in the paint. 

"At the end of the second half when we extended the lead, we had multiple possessions where we were playing our style of basketball," said head coach Trent Miller on the KMNS-AM postgame show. "We were getting paint touches with urgency and our cutters were moving from side-to-side, and we were finishing at the rim."

Alex Wilcoxson led the way with a game-high 24 points, knocking down five 3-pointers on the night. Caleb Dreckman followed with 20 points and added five assists, while Kaden Van Regenmorter chipped in 14 points. Fitzy Grant provided a spark off the bench with 13 points, and Tyson Odvody rounded out the balanced attack with 12 points in just 15 minutes, giving Morningside five players in double figures.

Morningside's depth and efficiency showed up across the stat sheet. The Mustangs dominated on the glass, outrebounding Waldorf 42-24, and consistently converted second opportunities. They also finished with 20 assists compared to the Warriors' 15, highlighting their ball movement and ability to generate quality looks throughout the game.

Inside, the Mustangs controlled the paint, outscoring Waldorf 52-28 down low. Morningside also held a narrow edge in second-chance points (6-5) and shot 83.3% from the free-throw line, continuing to capitalize on offensive chances.

Waldorf played evenly with Morningside after halftime, scoring 48 points in the second half, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome. The Mustangs' first-half run, scoring balance and dominance on the boards provided the foundation for another conference victory.

Morningside will return home at 3:45 p.m. Saturday to host Midland.