BOX SCORE

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State men's basketball team (5-2, 2-1 NSIC) came from behind in the second half against St. Cloud State (3-4, 2-1 NSIC) but came up just short falling 60-58 tonight at Halenbeck hall in St. Cloud.

Jordan Miller put up a 3-point shot attempt as time ran out in the game and had it rattle off the rim as St. Cloud State would sneak away with a 60-58 NSIC win over SMSU.

Miller recorded his second 20-point game of the season matching his season-high with 21 points against St. Cloud State tonight. The sophomore also grabbed nine boards leading SMSU in points and rebounds. Scott Roehl finished with 17 points and seven rebounds for the Mustangs. This is the fifth game this season that Roehl has scored 10 or more points.

The Mustangs finished 22 of 56 from the floor shooting 39 percent, while the Huskies were 24 of 26 for 38 percent from the floor. SMSU shot 84 percent from the free throw line, which they used to help get back in the game.

The only lead the Mustangs held in the first half was at 18:23 when Lavione West put SMSU up 4-2. The Huskies would regain the lead on a 3-pointer by Taylor Witt and would not lose it the rest of the half.

Josh Ortmann hit a three to put SCSU up by 14, 28-14 over SMSU before Jordan Miller answered with his first 3-pointer of the game to make it 28-17 in favor of the Huskies.

William Giddings picked up his first basket of the night to make the score 32-23. The red shirt freshman drove the lane hard and missed his first attempt before picking up his own rebound for the score.

The Mustangs trailed by 10 at halftime, 38-28 as Roehl hit a long jumper for his 11th point of the night to bring the Mustangs within 10 heading into the locker room. Miller finished the first half with 10 points for SMSU.

The Mustangs were 11 of 26 shooting in the first half, 42 percent while the Huskies were 14-28 shooting 50 percent for the half. SMSU was just 1 of 5 from 3-point range while St. Cloud State was 3 of 7 from behind the arc. Taylor Witt led the Huskies in the first half finishing with 11 points while going 4 of 4 at the free throw line.

Southwest Minnesota State came out in the second half and continued to cut the Huskies lead down. SMSU would eventually take its first lead of the second half with two free throws by Miller. Miller put SMSU up by one at 45-44. The lead would be short-lived as Josh Ortmann hit a 3-pointer to put SCSU back ahead by one.

The score would end up being tied five more times in the game before Andrew Bernstetter hit a jumper in the paint with 2:26 remaining to put the Huskies up 60-58. That would be the last bucket of the as the Huskies missed a free throw attempt to give SMSU one last shot at tying the game.

Miller launched a 3-pointer as time expired and watched it bang off the rim as SMSU fell short tonight in St. Cloud. The Mustangs will continue NSIC play tomorrow evening when they tip-off with Concordia-St. Paul at 6 p.m. at the Gangelhoff Center.