The Master’s University women’s basketball team’s season came to an end with its first round loss in the NAIA Women’s Basketball National Championship Tournament on Saturday, March 15.

The game had been delayed a day because of wildfires in that part of Oklahoma.

The No. 12-seeded Lady Mustangs (19-9) lost 91-70 to the No. 5-seed Dakota Wesleyan Tigers in Langston, Okla. TMU fell behind 26-13 in the first 10 minutes and just could not close that gap.

“It was a tough game,” said TMU Head Coach Fonda Wilson. “The first quarter put us in a bad spot, and though we were neck and neck for the rest of the three quarters, we could never quite crawl back. But the girls never gave up and played with heart.”

The Master’s shot 42 percent from the field, but could only manage 18 rebounds for the game compared to the Tigers’ 31. Dakota Wesleyan also doubled the points scored in the paint, netting 48 to TMU’s 24.

Laney Grider came off the bench to lead The Master’s with 16 points on four of seven shooting and a perfect eight for eight from the line. Kelly Mathiesen finished out her career with a 10-point game.

For Wilson, the emotions of the season coming to a close are heartfelt.

“Coaching this team in my first year at The Master’s University has been an incredible blessing,” she said. “While the season may not have ended the way we hoped, the progress we made and the relationships built are worth celebrating. This group will always hold a special place in my heart, not just for their effort on the court, but for the lessons we learned and the moments we shared. We’re grateful for our seniors, the coaching staff and the support of our fans. Our team showed resilience and determination, competing at a high level and overcoming challenges along the way. There were moments of growth, breakthrough, and excitement that reminded me why I love coaching.”

“More than anything, I give glory to God for the opportunity to pour into these athletes and be part of something bigger than basketball,” she continued. “My prayer is that this season is just the beginning of a program built on faith, hard work and unity. This season has set the foundation for even greater things to come for TMU basketball. The best is yet to come.”

For more information visit GoMustangs.com.