BOX SCORE

MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State dropped a 78-71 overtime nail-biter to Upper Iowa on Saturday. The win was UIU's fifth straight win over SMSU since Dec. 17, 2011.

SMSU had a chance to take the lead late in regulation, but SMSU's Bree Holleman missed a pair of free throws with the score tied at 64 with 1.9 seconds remaining sending the game into overtime.

Whitney Kieffer got the scoring started for the Peacocks just 17 seconds into the overtime period as she hit a three point play with a bucket and the foul. UIU used two old fashion 3-point plays and a 3-point field goal to start the overtime period to build a four point lead.

SMSU pulled within two with 1:03 remaining, but Alison Nagel missed a jumper out of the timeout to pull within two and UIU hit its free throws to close out the game.

Kieffer finished with a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds. Carly Pagel Pagel and Sam Thrapp poured in 17 and 16 points, respectively for the Peacocks.

Nagel led SMSU with 20 points, her highest scoring total since scoring 23 the last time the two teams played on Dec. 13, 2013. Three other Mustangs reached double-digit scoring totals – Ellen Degler (12), Rebekah Rolling (10) and Holleman (10). SMSU racked up a season-high 23 assists in the loss – led by Mikayla Saathoff's seven assists. Saathoff finished with five points and two rebounds.
SMSU shot 45.3 percent from the field on 29 of 64 shooting, but was just 2 of 10 from downtown.

UIU converted on 20 of 24 free throws. The Peacocks came into the weekend averaging a NSIC fifth-best 78.0 percent from the charity stripe.

SMSU got off to a hot start in the first half as the Mustangs hit 6 of the first 8 shots and open a 14-8 lead. Hannah Beeler made three straight layups and scored six of SMSU's first nine points just under four minutes into the game. SMSU would grow the lead to as much as eight in the first half when Alison Nagel rolled in a hook shot with 13:55 left to push the score to 16-8.

SMSU hit just 1 of 6 3-point shots in the first half after hitting all six last night versus Winona State. SMSU held the Peacocks to 34.6 percent shooting and forced nine turnovers, while the Mustangs made 15 field goals at a 45.5 percent clip.

Holleman connected on a bucket and a foul to put SMSU up 60-56 to gain momentum. SMSU led 64-60 with 1:43 remaining, but UIU erased the deficit and tied the score at 64 with a pair of Carly Pagel free throws with 52 seconds left.

Nagel missed a layup with 31 seconds and Upper Iowa came away with the rebound. UIU turned the ball over and Holleman drove down the lane and was fouled with 1.9 seconds remaining. Holleman, a career 66.7 percent free throw shooter, missed both and the game headed to overtime.

UIU outscored SMSU 14-7 in the overtime period.

SMSU falls to 3-13 overall, 1-11 in the NSIC.

SMSU will hit the road next weekend with games versus Wayne State and Augustana.