BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, Minn. – No. 21-ranked Southwest Minnesota State limited Northern State to just three field goals in the final 24 minutes of the game, set a school record with 10 blocked shots and forced 25 turnovers to earn a 63-54 victory in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball on Friday night in Marshall.

The victory snaps a two-game losing streak for SMSU and improves its record to 5-2 overall, 1-1 NSIC.  NSU suffered its fifth straight loss and drops to 3-5 overall, 0-3 NSIC.

Scott Roehl led SMSU with 16 points and tied a career-high with nine rebounds.  Roehl connected on 8 of 12 shots, while also collecting three blocked shots and three steals in just 22 minutes.  Jordan Miller added 13 points to round out SMSU's double figure scoring.  

Northern State never trailed in the first half jumping out to a 10-2 lead in the game's first three minutes and 16 seconds.  NSU would build the lead to 15-4 with 15:34 left before SMSU rallied with a 16-5 run to tie the game.  Trailing 20-12, SMSU's Scott Roehl scored six straight points to pull the Mustangs to within two points before DeAnthony Zanders tied the game at 20-20 with basket with 10:20 left in the half.

The Wolves answered with a run of their own over the next four minutes and pushed the lead back to 32-22 with just over six minutes left in the half.  NSU extended the lead to 37-26 with four minutes on the clock before SMSU closed the half with solid defense by not allowing a field goal and went into the break trailing 38-30.

SMSU forced NSU into 14 turnovers in the opening half, but SMSU shot just 33.3 percent, including 1 of 8 from three-point range.  NSU shot 48.3 percent in the first half, including 3 of 6 on three-pointers.

The SMSU defense was the story in the second half holding NSU to just 12 percent shooting (3 of 25) and forcing 11 turnovers. 

The Mustangs started the second half on a 10-0 run and took its first lead of the game on a pair of Jon DeRock free throws with 16:14 left in the game.  Following a NSU free throw, SMSU answered back with baskets by Roehl and Nick Dale to push the lead to 44-39 with just under 14 minutes on the clock. 

NSU cut the deficit to three points twice in the next few minutes and trailed 46-43 with 12:27 remaining, but the Mustangs put the game way with a 7-0 run and never looked back.

SMSU finished the night shooting a season-low 35.7 percent, including just 2 of 11 from three-point land and 11 of 15 from the foul line.  NSU ended the evening shooting 31.5 percent and was just 4 of 17 from three-point range. 

Collin Pryor led the Wolves with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Southwest Minnesota State continues NSIC play tomorrow night hosting the University of Mary at 8 p.m.