Box Score

MOORHEAD, MINN.: The win for SMSU, ranked ninth in the latest NCAA regional rankings, ensures the Mustangs sole possession of third place in the final NSIC standings with a record of 11-7. SMSU is 16-11 overall on the season while MSU Moorhead drops to 14-13 overall, 7-11 NSIC.

SMSU will now open the NSIC tournament next Saturday, Mar. 1 at home versus No. 6 seed Upper Iowa at the R/A Facility beginning at 7 p.m.

Matt Fletcher, who led SMSU with 17 points, hit five three-pointers in the game and now has 301 in his career becoming just the third NSIC player in league history to make 300 or more three-pointers in a career.  Eric Kline (1992-95) from Northern State is the all-time leader with 456 while Brad Joens (1997-2001) from Wayne State finished his career with 310.

SMSU trailed 45-39 with 12:46 remaining in the second before putting together a key second half rally behind red-hot outside shooting from seniors Travis Krenske and Fletcher. Fletcher's three-pointer with 10:23 left in the half gave SMSU its first lead in the final half at 46-45. Later in the half with SMSU holding a slim 50-49 lead with 8:38 left Fletcher hit two three-pointers while Krenske drilled another long range basket to push the SMSU margin to 59-49 with 5:20 on the clock and SMSU never looked back.

SMSU finished the second half shooting 52 percent from the field including 6 of 10 from three-point range. MSUM connected on just 8 of 27 shots including 2 of 9 from behind the three-point arc.

Fletcher led SMSU with 17 points while Krenske added 15 points. The duo combined to drill five three-pointers while dishing out a combined five assists and committing just one turnover. Ross DeMasi added 14 points and six rebounds while Andrew Peschong rounded out the SMSU double figure scorers with 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

The two teams played a tight game in the first 10 minutes before SMSU went on a 6-0 run to take its largest lead of the first half at 24-18 with 8:02 remaining on a pair of free throws by Scott Roehl. MSUM came back with a 16-4 run to end the half and take a 34-28 halftime lead. The Dragon defense limited SMSU to zero field goals in the final 8:33 of the half to build the six-point lead.

SMSU was hurt by poor free throw shooting in the opening 20 minutes connecting on just 8 of 15 attempts (53.3) while MSUM finished the half making 7 of 8 free throws.

Southwest Minnesota State rallied from a six-point halftime deficit by limiting MSU Moorhead to just 29.6 percent shooting in the second half to earn a big 71-58 victory on Saturday night in Moorhead, Minn.