Box Score
MARSHALL, MINN.: Four Southwest Minnesota State players scored in double figures led by Ross DeMasi's fourth double-double of the season to earn a 69-61 Hawaiian Night victory in Marshall on Saturday night.
The fourth straight conference victory for SMSU lifts its record to 12-8 overall, 7-4 NSIC, while Bemidji State drops to 5-15 overall, 2-9 NSIC. SMSU is now 9-1 at home this season.
DeMasi finished the night with 10 points and 10 rebounds in just 22 minutes of action. Matt Fletcher scored a team-high 14 points with Kevin Andrews (13) and Ryan Krome (12) rounding out the double figure scoring.
Travis Krenske was held to just three points but the three points was enough to put him at 1,000 career points to become the 15th player in school history to reach the mark.
Bemidji State shot 59.1 percent from the field in the first half while limiting Southwest Minnesota State to just 33.3 percent shooting from the field in earning a 34-33 halftime lead.
In the second half SMSU stormed out of the gate beginning the half on a 14-0 run in the first six minutes to build a 47-34 lead with 14:11 remaining in the game. BSU would trim the lead to six on two occasions, including 65-59 with 3:37 left but SMSU allowed just one field goal the rest of the way in earning its fifth straight victory over BSU.
SMSU shot 51.7 percent from the field in the second half and ended the night shooting 41.9 percent (26 of 62) including just 4 of 18 from three-point range. SMSU committed a season-low six turnovers while forcing 20 BSU turnovers which led to 26 points.
Alex Smith led Bemidji State with 14 points.
SMSU will now hit the road next weekend with a pair of NSIC games. The Mustangs face the University of Mary on Feb. 1 and Northern State on Feb. 2.
