> Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Charles Ward hit the game-winning 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining to lift the University of Sioux Falls to a dramatic come-from-behind 69-67 win over Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball at the Stewart Center.

SMSU (8-4, 4-2 NSIC) held a 44-25 lead with 17 minutes left in the game before USF rallied back to earn the dramatic victory. USF (6-6, 3-3 NSIC) forced SMSU into 10 second half turnovers, which led to 22 points. The Cougars scored 34 of their 46 second half points from the paint.

SMSU maintained the lead in the second half until the game's closing seconds. SMSU held a 65-64 lead with 36 seconds left, but a pair of missed free throws by SMSU gave USF a chance at the lead. Jordan Stotts scored on a layup with 22 seconds left to give USF its first lead of the half at 66-65.

Following a timeout, SMSU answered with a Joey Bartlett field goal with seven seconds remaining, but USF quickly moved down the court and Ward drilled the game-winning 3-pointer.

Bartlett led SMSU with a career-high 28 points on 10 of 17 shooting with three 3-pointers. He was the only Mustang to score in double figures. Cole Martin had eight points and four rebounds, while Drew Osmundson added seven points. Turner Moen grabbed a team-high seven rebounds for the Mustangs.

SMSU, which shot 59 percent in the second half, finished the game shooting 47 percent (24 of 51) from the field, but were just 4 of 16 from 3-point range.

USF finished the night shooting 48 percent (29 of 60) from the field, including 56 percent in the second half. Ward led the Cougars with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists.

SMSU struggled to begin the game, missing its first seven field goal attempts in the opening four minutes, until Mitch Weg scored the team's first points with 15 minutes and 11 seconds on the clock with a layup.

SMSU trailed for the game's first 10 minutes until Bartlett connected with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 12-12 with 9:16 remaining. Following a free throw by USF, SMSU took its first lead of the game on a pair of Bartlett free throws to make the score 14-13 at the 8:34.

The Mustang defense then took over, holding the Cougars to zero field goals for more nearly seven minutes, in building its largest lead of the half at 27-13 with 3:56 remaining following a 3-pointer by Bartlett.

SMSU maintained the lead for the remainder of the half and took a 34-23 lead into halftime.

SMSU exploded to begin the second half, with Bartlett completing a pair of three-point plays, to push the lead to 44-25 with 17 minutes left in the second half.

USF wouldn't go away and quickly used a 12-0 run in just over 90 seconds to trim the deficit to 44-37.

SMSU was still in control with a 57-50 lead following a jumper by Moen with nine minutes left in the game, but USF slowly cut into the lead and made it 58-57 with 6:15 remaining.

Carter Kirk made it 60-57 with a field goal, but Ward answered for USF with a layup to cut the lead back to 60-59. Travis Meinders hit a clutch field goal at the five-minute mark to give SMSU back a three-point lead at 62-59, but SMSU made just two field goals the remainder of the to keep USF in the game.

Southwest Minnesota State returns to action on Friday, Jan. 2, hosting Wayne State with tip-off slated for 8 p.m.