BOX SCORE

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls rallied from a 15-point deficit in the final nine minutes to stun Southwest Minnesota State 67-65 on Tuesday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball.

USF's Bill Freeman, who entered the game with three 3-pointers all season, drilled his third 3-pointer of the game with 25 seconds remaining, to give the Cougars a 63-61 lead that it would not relinquish.

Freeman, averaging 2.5 points on the season, paced USF (7-7, 3-7 NSIC) with 13 points, while Bryan Kielpinski also added 13 points for the Cougars.

Vinard Birch led SMSU (8-9, 5-5 NSIC) with 15 points and four assists, while Jordan Miller (12) and Nick Smith (10) rounded out SMSU's double figure scoring.

USF finished the night shooting 45 percent from the field and connected on 9 of 20 3-pointers. 

SMSU shot 47 percent from the field and was 8 of 14 from 3-point range.  USF held a 36-29 rebound advantage.

SMSU started off slow, being held scoreless for the first three minutes before Jordan Miller drilled a 3-pointer to gut the USF lead to 5-3.  The Cougars maintained the lead until the midway mark of the half when Tramel Barnes hit a jumper in the lane to tie the game at 13-13.

SMSU used a 6-0 run, capped by a Nick Smith field goal, to take a 21-17 lead with 7:25 left and never trailed again in building a 32-25 halftime advantage.

SMSU shot 47 percent in the first half, connecting on 4 of 8 3-point field goals and committed just two turnovers.

The Mustangs scored the first four points of the second half and maintained a 40-35 lead with 14:30 remaining, before using an 11-0 run, including a pair of 3-pointers by William Giddings and Miller to give SMSU a 51-35 lead at the 11:30 mark.

SMSU held a 54-39 lead with 9:15 left in the game following another 3-pointer by Giddings, before USF reeled off 12 straight points, including hitting three 3-pointers to cut the lead to 54-51 with 6:30 remaining.  Zager stopped the USF run - and SMSU's three and a half minute scoreless streak - with a layup with 5:42 left to make the score 56-51.

Zager scored with 4:17 left to give SMSU a 58-55 lead, before USF tied the game at the 3:57 mark with another 3-pointer.

Birch gave SMSU a 60-58 lead with a pair of free throws with 3:43 remaining, before USF tied the game once again with a dunk at the 2:22 mark.

Birch pushed SMSU back into the lead making one of two free throws to give the Mustangs a 61-60 lead with 46 seconds remaining, before Freeman stepped up with his big 3-pointer.

SMSU turned the ball over on its next possession and was forced to foul with 17 seconds left.  USF hit the first free throw for a 63-61 lead, but following a miss on the second attempt, USF was able to come down for the offensive rebound and then hit more free throws to make the score 65-61.  Miller hit a 3-pointer for SMSU with 7.3 seconds remaining, but USF hit two more free throws to seal the victory.



Southwest Minnesota State continues on the road on Friday night versus Northern State with tip-off slated for 8 p.m.  SMSU concludes the weekend on Saturday night at MSU Moorhead.