Morningside College head coach Jamie Sale and his staff couldn’t have asked for much more out of a season-opening weekend Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2 and 3.

CHICAGO, ILL. – Morningside College head coach Jamie Sale and his staff couldn’t have asked for much more out of a season-opening weekend Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2 and 3.

Knocking off No. 18-ranked Olivet Nazarene University in a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ top 20 match-up Friday and then coming back less than 24 hours later to upend preseason No. 4-ranked St. Xavier University of Illinois 78-56 Saturday on SXU’s home Shannon Center court spotlighted a 2-0 run in the Great Plains Athletic Conference-Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Challenge. The Mustangs proved their No. 11 national ranking with the Windy City results, too.

Saturday’s clash with the host Cougars, a rematch of a March 2018 meeting that ended with St. Xavier knocking the Maroon out of the national tournament, saw a 14-0 Mside run in the closing stages of the first half give them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The Mustangs opened the advantage to double digits in the third quarter and were off the races.

Sophomore guard Sierra Mitchell (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) wrapped up a 48-point weekend with 17 points to go with four steals and a pair of assists. Two other numbers showed large on the final boxscore, as fellow sophomore guard Tayte Hansen (York, Neb.) turned in 14 points, and senior forward Alexandra Gill (Omaha, Neb.) ripped down 15 rebounds to go with 10 points for a double-double and as part of a large 56-36 margin for Morningside College on the boards.

Mside opens its home and GPAC schedule Wednesday, Nov. 7, hosting the College of Saint Mary at Rosen Verdoorn Sports Center/Allee Gymnasium for a 6 p.m. start.