Box Score

MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State closed the game on a 9-2 run in the final two minutes to slip past Southwest Minnesota State 72-69 in NSIC men's basketball on Saturday night at the Taylor Center. The game featured 13 lead changes and was tied 10 times.
 
It was the regular season finale for both teams as SMSU—which dropped its seventh straight road game—drops to 13-14 overall, 9-13 NSIC. MSU—ranked No. 5 in this week's NCAA Central Region rankings—improves to 20-8 overall, 15-7 NSIC.
 
SMSU, the No. 7 seed from the South, will now open the postseason on Wednesday night in the first round of the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament at No. 2 North seed Northern State starting at 8 p.m. The teams split during the regular season with SMSU earning a 111-105 overtime non-conference victory in Marshall on Nov. 19, while NSU picked up a 79-63 win in Aberdeen, S.D., during conference plays on Jan. 15.
 
Ryan Bruggeman and Mitch Weg led the Mustangs with 15 points each, while Joey Bartlett added 10 points and 12 rebounds for his second career double-double.
 
SMSU finished night shooting 44 percent (29 of 66) from the field, including 4 of 14 from 3-point range. SMSU closed with a 39-35 rebound advantage, but the Mustangs' nine turnovers led to MSU holding a 21-5 scoring advantage on points off of turnovers.
 
Jon Fuqua led MSU with 21 points, six rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals. MSU shot 41 percent (23 of 56) from the field, but made 22 of 26 from the foul line. SMSU finished the game making 7 of 10 free throws.
 
The teams played a tight opening half, which featured five ties and four lead changes. SMSU took its largest lead of the half with 12 minutes and 13 second remaining following a three-point play by Weg and a field goal from Shaun Condon.
 
MSU rallied to take its first lead of the game at 25-24 at the 6:29 mark and moments later held a 27-26 advantage. SMSU answered with six straight points to take a 32-27 lead, before taking a 34-31 lead into halftime.
 
SMSU shot 40 percent in the first half and held a 22-6 scoring advantage in points in the paint. Weg led the Mustangs with 11 first half points.
 
SMSU maintained the lead for the first 10 minutes of the second half, including taking its largest lead of the game at 47-38 with 13:24 remaining on a Taylor Schafer layup to cap a 6-0 run.
 
MSU came right back and used a 13-2 run to regain the lead at 51-49 with 9:08 left.  
 
The teams would exchange the lead over the next few minutes until MSU built a 59-55 advantage with 6:15 left. SMSU had a big answer and used a 12-4 run over the next three minutes, capped by a 3-pointer from Schafer, make the score 67-63.
 
Following an MSU missed field goal, SMSU had a chance to add to the lead, but Schafer missed a 3-pointer with 2:30 remaining and the Mavericks responded with the game-winning run.