Box Score

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. - Southwest Minnesota State shot just 32 percent in the first half and could not rebound from the slow start to fall 76-63 to No. 19 South Carolina-Aiken on Sunday evening at the Disney East Coast Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.  The loss drops SMSU to 2-1 during the season-opening tournament.  USCA is now 3-0.

Sara Leidall, who finished with a team-high 18 points, scored just four points in the first half.  For the game, she shot 6-for-9 from the field, including 2-of-3 from the outside, and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the line.  Leidall also led SMSU with five rebounds.  Heidi Kimmes scored 11 of her 15 points in the first half, as she kept the Mustangs in the game offensively during the opening period.  Freshman Taylor Voss continued to stay hot from the outside, hitting 2-of-2 from three-point range for six points.  Tori Fink led SMSU with five assists and added four points.

The difference in the game was Southwest's 16 turnovers, which led to 24 USCA points, while the Mustangs forced just 12 turnovers and turned those into just nine points.  SMSU was also out-rebounded 30-29, the first time in its first three games that its opponent has had more rebounds.  Southwest shot 43 percent for the game, but just 32 percent in the first half.  USCA connected on 27-of-56 shots (48.2 percent) on the evening.

The Pacers built an 18-4 lead out of the gate in the first six minutes as SMSU could not find an answer for Morgan Johnson or Satu Leppanen, who each had 12 points in the first half.  USCA stretched its lead to 15 at 32-17 with 6:16 left in the first half on a jumper by Jazlyn Gibbs.  Aiken took a 10-point lead into the half at 38-28.  While SMSU had trouble slowing down Johnson and Leppanen, who hit two three-pointers in the first half, the Mustangs shut down USCA leading scorer Megan Starnes.  Starnes came into the game averaging 17 points, but was held to four in the opening half and 10 for the game.

USCA led by 21 at 52-31 with 13:18 left in the second half.  However, SMSU went on an 11-2 run, capped off by back-to-back three-pointers from Voss and Leidall to cut the lead to 55-46 with 7:28 left to play.  However, nine points was as close as the Mustangs would get the rest of the evening.  Starnes scored on consecutive layups and Meredith Legg buried a three-pointer to quickly make the Pacer lead 16 at 66-50.  USCA led by 20 with 2:44 left to play, but SMSU closed the game on an 11-4 run to make the final score of 76-63.

Johnson finished with game-highs with 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers.  Leppanen had 14 points in the game.

The Mustangs will be back in action next weekend for an exhibition game against NCAA Division I South Dakota in Brookings, S.D.  Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 9.  Southwest's home opener will be the following weekend on Nov. 15 against Chadron State (Neb.) with another 2 p.m. start.