Box Score

MOORHEAD, MINN.: The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball was unable to recover from an abysmal first half and lost 85-41 to Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday night in Moorhead. The loss drops SMSU to 12-15 overall and 7-11 overall in the NSIC, while MSU Moorhead improves to 17-10 and 11-7 in the NSIC.

The game marked the regular season finale for both teams. SMSU earned the eighth seed in the upcoming NSIC Tournament. MSUM will be the fifth seed.

On Saturday night, the Mustangs shot 4-of-26 in the first half, just 15.4 percent, including 0-for-3 from three-point range. Additionally, SMSU could not convert from the free throw line in the first half, hitting just 8-for-17 at the stripe. The Dragons struggled as well in the first half, hitting just 28 percent from the field, but they also owned a 28-19 rebounding edge at the break.

Things did not get much better for the Mustangs in the second half, as they shot 20.6 percent. For the game SMSU shot a season-low 18.3 percent from the field, converting just 11-of-60 shots.  MSUM earned a 50-38 rebounding edge for the game.

Sara Leidall led Southwest with seven points and tied for a team-high with five rebounds. Freshman Jess Onken, playing her first game in three weeks, scored a career-high six points.

SMSU has not won on the road at Moorhead since 2002, a six-game losing streak, including a 105-57 loss last January.

The Mustangs will travel to Concordia-St. Paul for the first round of the NSIC Tournament on Saturday, Mar. 1.