Mid Goes 2-0 In Tournament Play

Niagara, New York - Despite a sluggish start and dreadful shooting, Mid Michigan finished strong Sunday afternoon, pulling away in the fourth quarter to defeat 10–1 Monroe Community College, 60–46, and improve to 8–2 on the season.

The Lakers struggled early with turnovers and missed opportunities at the rim, but Delaney Seaman and Alexus Dunn each connected from three-point range to spark Mid and give the Lakers a 13–12 lead with four minutes remaining in the first quarter. Despite the offensive inconsistencies, Mid stayed in control by applying full-court pressure, creating transition baskets and building a 21–14 advantage after one quarter.

Mid pushed the pace early in the second, running the floor to open an 11-point lead within the first two minutes. Missed free throws, however, allowed Monroe to hang around. After a 4–0 Tribune run, the margin shrank to 29–24 with one minute left in the half. The Lakers responded in the closing seconds as Maddy Smith scored inside, Jenna Butcher knocked down a free throw, and Smith converted again at the buzzer to send Mid into the locker room with a 10-point cushion.

The third quarter mirrored the opening stretch of the game. Turnovers, missed layups, and fouls slowed the Lakers' momentum and kept Monroe within striking distance. The Tribunes trimmed the deficit to 45–39 by the end of the period.

Mid finally found separation in the fourth quarter. Katie Phillips opened the frame with a three-point play, Gracie Mellinger followed with a backdoor drive and finish, and Phillips added a putback to push the lead to 16. From there, the Lakers controlled the tempo and ran out the clock to secure the win.

"We played sluggish until our fourth-quarter intensity separated us from them," said first-year head coach Tanner Smith. "We need to be ready to play back-to-back games, especially with the Illinois Central Christmas Tournament coming up in a couple weeks."

Gracie Mellinger led the Lakers with 13 points, while Delaney Seaman added 11. Madison Smith turned in a dominant effort on the glass, pulling down a season-high 17 rebounds to go with eight points.

Mid Michigan shot 32 percent from the field, including 4-of-27 from three-point range (15 percent), and 10-of-23 from the free-throw line.

"The trip out here provided good team bonding and good memories," Smith said of Mid Michigan's first trip to Niagara. "But we also need to remember why we're traveling out here."

The Lakers return to action Wednesday at Jackson College before heading south at the end of the month for three games in three days, beginning with a matchup against third-ranked Illinois Central.