Box Score
MARSHALL, MINN. - Southwest Minnesota State, ranked No. 24 in the country, improved to 6-1 on the season, with a 96-63 non-conference rout over Northwestern College (Iowa) on Wednesday night in Marshall.
Playing at home for the first time during the regular season, SMSU picked up its sixth win in seven tries, and is 6-1 for just the third time in school history.
SMSU earned the victory in dominating fashion shooting a season-high 56.1 percent (37 of 66) from the field and holding a 45-26 rebound advantage. Its the sixth time this season SMSU has outrebounded its opponent.
SMSU junior Andrew Peschong led the Mustang offense pouring in a career-high 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting, while also grabbing five rebounds, recording four assists and three steals. Peschong was one of five Mustangs that scored in double figures in contest. Junior Jon DeRock added 16 points off the bench connecting on a game-high four three-pointers and also added five assists in just 18 minutes.
Senior Ross DeMasi was also dominate in the game hitting on all seven shots he attempted to finish with 17 points. Sophomore Taylor Huseby tied a career-high with 11 points on 5 of 6 shooting. Junior Nick Dale rounded out the scoring in double figures for SMSU with 11 points while grabbing a team-high seven rebounds.
The game was tied at 13 apiece with 14:31 left in the opening half before SMSU took the lead for good with just over 14 minutes left on a DeRock three-pointer. The Mustangs extended the lead to double digits at 39-28 with 5:36 left in the half before Northwestern cut the lead to 43-38 with 2:55 remaining. SMSU answered back and closed the half on a 6-0 run to take a 49-38 halftime lead.
The Mustangs were never threatended in the second half pushing the lead to 65-45 with 12 minutes and the lead never fell below 20 points for the remainder of the game.
SMSU finished the contest with 20 fast break points and held a 50-34 scoring advantage in the paint.
Kale Wiertzma led the Red Raiders with 18 points but was just 6 of 16 shooting from the field. Wiertsma entered the game averaging 25.4 points per game and shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range.
SMSU will continue its homestand this Saturday, Dec. 6 when it opens Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play with an early season showdown against NSIC preseason favorite and No. 8 Minnesota State, Mankato.
