Box Score

DENVER – Southwest Minnesota State earned its first victory of the season on Saturday night with a 78-71 road decision over Metro State University of Denver.
 
Annessa Rosch had a huge game for SMSU (1-5), pouring in a career-high 28 points on 10 of 15 shooting with five 3-pointers. Hope Bonlander also scored a career-high with 21 points on 7 of 11 shooting, while grabbing five rebounds.
 
SMSU shot 54 percent (26 of 48) from the field and drilled 8 of 14 from 3-point range. The Mustangs also finished with a 40-28 rebound advantage.
 
Lauren Hedlund also reached double figures in scoring for SMSU with 11 points, while adding five rebounds and a team-high four assists. Taylor Holicky chipped in with eight points and six rebounds.
 
SMSU, which led for more than 33 minutes in the game, used a 7-0 run midway through the opening quarter to build an 11-4 lead following a 3-pointer by Rosch at the 2:22 mark.
 
The Mustangs pushed the lead to 22-10 early in the second quarter and maintained a double digit lead for much of the quarter, until a late quarter run by the Roadrunners cut the lead to single digits. SMSU held a 32-20 lead with three minutes left, but a MSUD countered with an 11-1 run to close the half and cut SMSU's lead to 33-31 at halftime.
 
MSU Denver (2-3) took its first lead of the second half at 40-39 with 6:13 left in the third, but SMSU put together an impressive 12-0 run over the next three minutes to build a 51-40 lead with three minutes left. Rosch hit a pair of 3-pointers and a layup during the run.
 
SMSU held a 58-50 lead after three quarters, but MSUD wouldn't go away and trimmed the deficit to 62-60 with 6:20 left in the game. Rosch hit a jumper to make the score 64-60 and following a free throw by MSUD, SMSU's Sarah Buysse connected on a huge 3-pointer with 5:00 remaining to push the Mustang lead to 67-61.
 
MSU made the score 67-63, but three straight field goals by Bonlander, Taylor Holicky and Rosch expanded the lead to 73-63 with 2:17 to seal the SMSU victory.
 
SMSU, 1-5 overall, 0-1 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play, returns to league play next Friday, Dec. 4, at Winona State.