Box Score

MARQUETTE, Mich. – Taylor Schafer poured in a game-high 22 points on 9 of 11 shooting with four 3-pointers, while Mitch Weg and Ryan Bruggeman each recorded double-doubles to lead Southwest Minnesota State to an 87-69 victory over Northern Michigan on Saturday afternoon at the Berry Events Center.
 
SMSU, which scored a season-high in points and also connected on a season-high 10 3-pointers, improves to 5-0 on the season for the first time in program history.
 
Today's game wrapped up a stretch of five games in eight days for SMSU, with all five games played away from Marshall. It was SMSU's third straight road victory, its first three-game road winning streak since the 2013-14 season.
 
The Mustangs closed the game shooting 53 percent (34 of 64) from the field, while making 10 of 25 from 3-point range. SMSU dominated on the boards, holding a 45-28 rebound margin.
 
NMU (1-3), shot 43 percent (29 of 67) in the game, including just 6 of 23 from 3-point range.
 
Weg notched his first double-double of the season with 15 points on 6 of 8 shooting with 12 rebounds. Bruggeman had his first career double-double with 11 points with a career-high 10 assists. Carter Kirk (11) and Joey Bartlett (10) also both scored in double figures to lead the Mustangs to victory.
 
The teams exchanged the lead five times in the opening half and were tied on four other occasions. NMU held its largest lead of the game at 29-23 with seven minutes and 42 seconds remaining in the half, but SMSU reeled off nine straight points to regain the lead and never trailed again. Field goals from KJ Davis, Kirk and a pair by Schafer—including a 3-pointer—gave the Mustangs a 32-29 lead with five minutes remaining.
 
SMSU held a 34-33 lead with three minutes left in the half before closing the half on a 7-1 run to take a 41-34 halftime lead.
 
Davis started the second half with a 3-pointer to give SMSU its first double-digit lead of the game at 44-34. The Mustangs would maintain a double-digit lead for much of the second half, before the Wildcats cut the deficit to 70-63 with 4:27 remaining in the game. SMSU ended any doubt of an NMU comeback attempt as Michael Lee sparked an 11-0 run with a 3-pointer as SMSU built its lead to 81-63 with just under two minutes left in the game.
 
Naba Echols led the Wildcats with 17 points.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will now have 10 days off before opening NSIC play on Tuesday, Nov. 29, with its home opener versus the University Sioux Falls. Tip-off set for 7 p.m. at the R/A Facility.