Box Score
 
MARSHALL, Minn. — The No. 12 Winona State women's basketball team finished the first half on a 12-0 to help earn a 57-42 victory over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play.
 
SMSU (3-13, 1-9 NSIC) finished the game shooting 30 percent (15 of 50) from the floor, including 36.4 percent (4 of 11) from 3-point range. No. 12 WSU (16-1, 9-1 NSIC) shot 40.4 percent (23 of 57) from the field and 33.3 percent (7 of 21) from downtown.
 
Abby Connell lead the Mustang offense with nine points scoring 3 of 4 from 3-point range, while Lauren Hedlund added eight points. Annessa Rosch pulled down a team-high seven rebounds, while Hope Bonlander grabbed six.
 
WSU dominated the boards with a 41-28 advantage behind Hannah McGlone's R/A Facility record 19 rebounds. The Warriors controlled the paint scoring 28 points in the box. SMSU forced the Warriors into 20 turnovers, which the Mustangs turned into 22 points.
 
WSU—ranked seventh in the nation entering the weekend in field-goal percentage—grabbed the lead early and kept it through the first 10-minutes of play as it led 17-9 after the first quarter. SMSU cut the Warrior lead down to three following a free throw by Hedlund at 5:14. WSU's defense—ranked seventh in the nation—held the Mustangs scoreless the rest of the half, while the offense put together a 12-0 run over the last 4:01 to build a 15-point 33-18 lead going into half time.
 
Sarah Buysse started the second half with a 3-pointer at 8:22 to break the drought, but WSU would play tough defense down the third-quarter stretch as they held SMSU to just eight points in the quarter while push its lead to 18. WSU kept a comfortable double-digit lead in the fourth quarter to earn a 57-42 victory.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will travel to Northern State and MSU Moorhead next weekend.