CROOKSTON, Minn. – Trent Carlson scored a season-high 17 points connecting on career-high five 3-pointers to help lead Southwest Minnesota State to a hard-fought 68-61 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory on Monday night in Crookston, Minn.

Carlson hit all five 3-pointers in the first half and reached double figure scoring for the first time this season.  Nick Smith added 14 points and six rebounds for SMSU (6-5 overall, 5-2 NSIC), while William Giddings, Vinard Birch and Jordan Miller all chipped in with eight points.

SMSU finished the game shooting 53 percent from the field but was just 14 of 22 from the free throw line and committed 15 turnovers.

SMSU's 5-2 record in the NSIC is its best start in conference play under Mustang head coach Brad Bigler's three seasons.

Akeem Cubie led UMC (4-6 overall, 0-6 NSIC) with 22 points on 8 of 9 shooting and grabbed five rebounds. 

SMSU took its first lead of the game at 11-9 with 14:48 left in the first half following a Matt Zager 3-pointer field goal.  Carlson pushed the lead to 21-13, SMSU's largest of the half, with 9:15 remaining following a 3-pointer. 

Carlson was red-hot in the opening half connecting on 5 of 7 3-point attempts for 15 points to help the Mustangs to a 30-27 halftime lead.

SMSU shot 56 percent in the opening half, but committed nine turnovers.  UMC was also solid in the opening half connecting on 52 percent of its shots.

The game was tied on several occasions in the first six minutes of the second half, but a field goal by Carlson with 13:40 on the clock snapped a 42-all tie and started a 9-0 run over the next four minutes as Giddings capped the run with a dunk to give SMSU a 51-42 lead with 9:13 remaining.

SMSU would never trail again, but UMC did cut the deficit to 56-50 with 6:40 left in the game, but a Birch field goal and two free throws by Smith pushed the lead back to 60-50 with five minutes left.

UMC trimmed the lead to 66-61 with 1:12 remaining in the game, but the Mustangs held strong on defense and made enough free throws to seal the victory.

Southwest Minnesota State wraps-up its two-game road trip tomorrow night taking on No. 21 and undefeated MSU Moorhead with tip-off slated for 8 p.m.