BOX SCORE

RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team dropped its second consecutive game with a 73-70 non-conference loss to South Dakota School of Mines on Friday night. The loss drops SMSU to 2-2 on the season, and gives SDSMT its first victory over the Mustangs in the three-game series. SMSU defeated SDSMT 71-67 last season in the R/A Facility in Marshall, Minn.

SMSU led 36-31 at the end of the first half thanks in part to 15 of 33 (45.5%) shooting from the field. SDSMT wasn't far behind as the Hardrockers were almost just as efficient with their 14 off 33 shooting (42.4%).

It didn't take long for the Hardrockers to erase the 5-point deficit in the second half as Devyn Asche drilled a 3-pointer to give SDSMT a 40-38 lead just 1:08 into the half. Mikayla Saathoff's 3-pointer with 16:37 remaining tied the game at 44 but Megan Rohrer led SDSMT on a 15-2 run over the next seven minutes - Rohrer scored nine of the 15 Hardrocker points during the run. It was Rohrer's jumper at the 7:28 mark that gave SDSMT its largest lead of the game – 15, as SDSMT led 64-49.

SMSU would respond with a quick 9-0 run to close the gap to six and would eventually work the lead down to two with 31 seconds left when Bree Holleman made two clutch free throws. 

SDSMT would turn the ball over on the ensuing possession to give SMSU a chance to tie and complete the comeback but Alison Nagel's jump shot didn't fall and the Lady Hardrockers held on for the non-conference victory.

Nagel and Rebekah Rolling led SMSU offensively as they poured in 18 and 17, respectively. Nagel finished 6 of 11 from the field, including 2 of 5 from behind the arc. Alexis Long and Rohrer combined to score 36 points on 15 of 21 shooting to lead SDMST.

SMSU committed a season-low seven turnovers in the loss.

SMSU (2-2) will begin Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action on the road on Saturday, Nov. 30, versus Sioux Falls.