> Box Score
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State held off a second half rally by Southwest Minnesota State to earn a 93-83 victory in the first round of the NSIC Sanford Health Tournament on Wednesday night at Halenbeck Hall.
SCSU, the No. 3 seed in the NSIC North, improves to 18-11 overall and will now face the No. 2 seed from the NSIC South, Minnesota State on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the tournament quarterfinals in Sioux Falls, S.D.
SMSU, the No. 6 seed in the NSIC South, ends its season at 12-17. SMSU is now 16-14 all-time in the NSIC tournament.
SCSU, which led 49-43 at halftime, scored 14 straight points in the opening two minutes of the second half to take a 63-43 lead. SMSU wouldn't go away and cut the deficit to four points on two occasions, including 83-79 with 2:58 left in the game, but SCSU was able to hold off the charge and earn the victory.
Both teams shot outstanding with SCSU finishing the night shooting 57 percent (32 of 56), including 12 of 29 from 3-point range. SMSU closed the night shooting 53 percent (29 of 55) and made 9 of 16 from 3-point range. SMSU held a 32-31 rebound advantage and held a 38-30 advantage on points in the paint. SMSU finished the game committing 13 turnovers, with SCSU holding a 19-8 advantage in points off of turnovers.
SCSU's Jordan Poydras led all scorers with 26 points on 9 of 19 shooting, including 4 of 10 from 3-point range. Scottie Stone poured in 25 points on 6 of 8 shooting with four 3-pointers. Connor Niehaus chipped in with 14 points with four 3-pointers.
SMSU was paced by Travis Meinders, who tied a career-high with 19 points, connecting on 6 of 10 shots with four 3-pointers. Joey Bartlett added 19 points on 7 of 10 shooting with three 3-pointers. MJ Delmore also scored in double figures with 12 points.
SCSU jumped out to an early 13-5 lead in the opening three minutes and would hold onto the lead for the remainder of the half.
Bartlett made the score 15-14 with 14 minutes left in the half, but SCSU would answer with 12-4 run over the next three minutes to take a 27-18 advantage at the 11-minute mark.
SCSU would take its largest lead of the half at 34-22, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Meinders and Bartlett cut the margin to 34-28 with 6:28 remaining. The Huskies would later push the lead to 42-33 following a 3-pointer by Stone, but the Mustangs countered with a 9-2 run to pull within 44-42 after a layup by Bartlett with two minutes left in the half.
SCSU ended the half on a 5-1 run to build a 49-43 halftime lead.
SCSU shot 62 percent in the opening half with eight 3-pointers. SMSU was also outstanding from the field, shooting 57 percent with five 3-pointers.
The Huskies exploded to begin the second half, scoring the first 14 points in just over two minutes to build a 63-43 lead.
SCSU maintained a 66-47 lead with 16 minutes left before SMSU mounted its rally. The Mustangs used a 13-4 over the next four and a half minutes to make the score 70-60 following a 3-pointer by Meinders at the 11:41 mark.
Carter Kirk hit one of two free throws to cut the SCSU lead to 73-66 with 9:32 remaining, before SCSU scored four straight points to regain a 77-66 advantage. SMSU countered back one more time and used a 7-1 run to trim the lead to 78-73 after a Delmore field goal with six minutes remaining.
SMSU's Cole Martin drilled a 3-pointer with 4:27 on the clock to make the score 80-76 and following a missed dunk by SCSU, the Mustangs had a chance to make it a one possession game. But on the ensuing possession, a Mustang turnover allowed the Huskies to answer with a Poydras 3-pointer to push the lead back to 83-76.
Meinders answered with a 3-pointer making the score 83-79 at the three minute mark, but Poydras again came back with a field goal to extend the lead to 85-79 and start an 11-2 run to seal the victory.
Tonight was the final game SMSU seniors, Martin and Meinders.
