BOX SCORE

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State men's basketball team (5-3, 2-2 NSIC) lost another heartbreaker this weekend falling to Concordia University, St. Paul (5-3, 2-2 NSIC) 67-66 at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul.

Scott Roehl led the Mustangs with his 10th career double-double and team-high 15 points and 13 rebounds in the loss to the Golden Bears.

Southwest Minnesota State earned its first lead of the game when Lavione West found a wide open Jordan Miller outside the arc. Miller drained the 3-pointer and gave SMSU a 16-14 lead.

The Mustangs would carry the lead into halftime as West led SMSU with eight points heading into the locker room. Roehl was all over the boards against the Golden Bears in the first half grabbing eight rebounds. The senior finished the first half with seven points.

Southwest Minnesota State was 14 of 36 shooting in the first half; good for 38 percent while the Golden Bears were13 of 30 for 43 percent. The Mustangs were able to force six turnovers in the first half while only turning the ball over three times.

Taylor Huseby started out the second half with his first basket putting the Musgtangs up 36-32. Huseby forced the foul and completed the -3-point play hitting his free throw for his first points on the night.

The Mustangs held the lead with 12 minutes to play in the second half when Concordia's Isaiah Thomas picked up a steal for the Golden Bears and drained a 3-pointer to take a 49-48 lead over SMSU.

Roehl would get the Mustangs right back in front when made the next two baskets of the game. The senior grabbed his eighth offensive rebound the game and put SMSU back in front 52-49 with his 13th point of the night.

West put the Mustangs up by five at 59-54 with his 11th point of the night. West finished the game with a career-high 11 points.

The Mustangs held a one-point 66-65 lead over Concordia-St. Paul with 1:05 to play in the game. The Golden Bears got the ball out of a timeout and put the ball in the hands of their leading scorer Peter Olafeso. Olafeso put up an 18-foot jump-shot that banged off the front of the rim. Roehl grabbed his 12th rebound of the game to give the Mustangs possession with less than a minute to play.

With the Mustangs up by one at 66-65, Courtney Tyler hit two free throws to give SMSU a one point 67-65 lead. SMSU called a timeout with 18 seconds to play. The Mustangs got the ball to Miller at the top of the key for and missed the shot. After a scramble, a jump ball was called and possession went to the Golden Bears.

Southwest Minnesota State was unable to connect and lost its second straight close game falling to the Golden Bears 67-66. SMSU has now lost three consecutive games to Concordia-St. Paul.

Southwest Minnesota State will continue NSIC action next weekend when they travel to Winona State on Friday, Dec. 17 and Upper Iowa on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. both nights.