>Box Score
BISMARCK, N.D. — Joey Bartlett hit a career-high six 3-pointers to help Southwest Minnesota State earn an 84-72 victory over the University of Mary on Friday night in the McDowell Activity Center.
Bartlett poured in a game-high 24 points on 8 of 12 shooting, including 6 of 8 from 3-point range.
Cole Martin added 14 points for the Mustangs, while
MJ Delmore added 12 points.
SMSU (7-3, 3-1 NSIC) started the game out with a 9-4 lead just three minutes into first half. U-Mary came back to pull within a point with 15:11 left in the half, but not before the Mustang extended its lead to six—its largest of the half—with 13:33 remaining making the score 15-9. U-Mary rallied back and built a four-point lead with 8:13 remaining at 24-20, before SMSU answered back and regained the lead following back-to-back 3-pointers by Bartlett and
Travis Meinders. The game was tied at 28, before Meinders drilled another 3-pointer to give SMSU the lead, before settling for a 40-39 halftime advantage.
Bartlett led the Mustangs at the break with 13 points while Martin and Minders contributed eight a piece. SMSU shot 15-of-25 from the floor for 60 percent while U-Mary was 17-of-34 for 50 percent in the half.
Both teams traded points coming out of half time but a 12-3 run gave the Mustangs a 57-46 cushion with 14:34 left to play. Bartlett helped the offense as he made back-to-back three-pointers to give the Mustangs a 63-50 lead at 11:58. U-Mary would later pull to within seven at 72-65 with 4:54 left to play, but SMSU continued its successful shooting to close out the game and earn its first win in Bismarck since 2008, snapping a two-game losing streak.
The Mustangs finished shooting a season-high 65 percent from the field (31 of 48), including 14 of 23 from 3-point range.
SMSU will continue its road trip tomorrow night facing Minot State at 6 p.m.
