Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn.— Southwest Minnesota State (1-7, 1-3 NSIC) led for a majority of the first three quarters before Minnesota Duluth (4-3, 3-1 NSIC) went on an 18-0 run in the fourth quarter to earn a 61-48 victory over the SMSU women's basketball team on Friday night in the R/A Facility.
 
Sarah Buysee led the Mustangs in scoring with 10 points while Caleigh Rodning and Lauren Hedlund eached added nine points each. Hedlund finished with a game high 12 rebounds including six on the offensive end.
 
The Mustangs came out of the gates strong with one of their best opening quarters offensively so far this year. SMSU went 6-of-13 from the field (46 percent) in the first quarter and pulled in five offensive boards to help the Mustangs finish the quarter with a 17-16 lead.  SMSU would finish the first half with a 14-8 advantage in second chance points.
 
Defense helped Southwest Minnesota State build on its lead in the second as SMSU held the Bulldogs to just 3-of-18 shooting (17 percent) in the quarter. SMSU led by as many as nine points after the Mustangs went on a 10-0 run to turn an 18-17 deficit into a 27-18 lead with 5:41 to play in the half. SMSU's bench outscored the UMD bench 16-6 in the first half of play as the Mustangs went into the halftime break with a 31-22 lead. Hedlund and Rodning combined for 13 first half rebounds to help SMSU to a 25-16 rebounding advantage going into the break.
 
The Mustangs held its largest lead of 11 at 9:39 left in the third quarter however UMD finished the third on a 9-2 run to get within a point going into the fourth. UMD carried the momentum into the final quarter going on an 18-0 run during the final period to leave Marshall with its third NSIC win of the season. The loss drops SMSU to 1-7 on the season and 1-3 in NSIC play.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will now host St. Cloud State on Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m.