OPENING TIP
The Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team (3-16, 2-12 NSIC) treks north this weekend to battle the Beavers of Bemidji State (8-10, 4-10 NSIC) on Friday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. and the Golden Eagles of Minnesota, Crookston (5-13, 2-12 NSIC) on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 4 p.m.

LAST WEEK RECAP
Southwest Minnesota State is coming off a weekend in which it fell to Upper Iowa on Friday, 71-58 but rebounded with an upset win over Winona State on Saturday, 66-64. In the loss versus Upper Iowa, the Mustangs were dominated by UIU's Whitney Kieffer and Carly Pagel. Both Kieffer and Pagel recorded double-doubles in the game, leading UIU over SMSU for the second time this season. Kieffer finished the night with a game-high 28 points and 17 rebounds. SMSU was dominated on the glass as the Peacocks outrebounded the Mustangs by a 49-29 advantage. SMSU finished the game shooting 38 percent (19 of 50), while UIU wrapped-up shooting 41.3 percent (26 of 63). The game was won and lost in the paint as the Mustangs gave up 40 points while only recorded 28 of their own. Bree Holleman and Alison Nagel led the Mustangs as Nagel netted 16 and Holleman finished with 12.

The Mustangs rebounded nicely on “Hawaiian Night” as SMSU sealed off an exciting upset win over Winona State, 66-64. The victory was the first defeat of Winona State since Jan. 14, 2006. The Mustangs had four players in double-figures and were led by Alison Nagel (14 points) and Ellen Degler (12 points). The score was tied at half, 32-32 with the Mustangs shooting 48 percent from the field with just two 3-pointers, while WSU shot 44 percent and connected on three 3-pointers. SMSU held the lead for nearly the entire second half, building its largest lead of the night at 56-46 with 5:53 remaining following a layup from Mikayla Saathoff. The Warriors cut the deficit to 64-62 with 16 seconds left, but Nagel drilled a pair of free throws to give SMSU a 66-62 lead with 14 seconds remaining. Following a WSU basket with five seconds left, SMSU missed a free throw with four seconds on the clock, but WSU was unable to get off a final shot and the first home win for the Mustangs was secured.

GAME NOTES

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