Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Northern State scored the game's first 16 points and held off a second half charge by Southwest Minnesota State to earn a 96-86 victory in NSIC men's basketball on Saturday night.
 
NSU (16-6, 12-4 NSIC), which defeated Sioux Falls last night after trailing by 19 points in the second half, shot 55 percent from the field tonight, while connecting on 12 of 20 3-point field goals.
 
SMSU, which dropped out of first place in the NSIC standings, drops to 17-4 overall, 12-4 NSIC. The Mustangs shot just 36 percent in the first half and finished the game shooting 44 percent (33 of 75).
 
Ryan Bruggeman led SMSU tying a career-high with 27 points on 10 of 20 shooting, while dishing out eight assists and grabbing five rebounds. Carter Kirk and Mitch Weg both finished the night with 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
For the third consecutive game, SMSU struggled out of the gate as NSU scored the game's first 16 points. SMSU did not score until Kirk made one of two free throws with 14:25 left in the half. SMSU eventually fell behind 19-1 and did not make its first field goal until Michael Lee drilled a 3-pointer with 13 minutes left in the half.
 
SMSU would cut the deficit to 11 on three occasions, but NSU rallied and built a 48-34 halftime lead.
 
NSU shot 57 percent in the opening half and made 7 of 11 3-pointers, while holding a 21-17 rebound advantage. SMSU shot just 36 percent in the first half and made just two 3-pointers.
 
Despite falling by 18 points early in the second half, SMSU would not go away and used a 13-4 run to cut the deficit to 58-49 with 16 minutes remaining following a Weg jumper.
 
SMSU had several chances to cut the deficit but a turnover and a pair of missed 3-pointers kept NSU with a nine-point advantage. The Wolves answered with a decisive 9-0 run to push the lead back to 67-49 with 12:51 left in the game.
 
SMSU would trail by double digits until the final minute when Taylor Schafer hit a 3-pointer to cut the NSU lead to 90-83 with 38 seconds left. Joey Bartlett would later connect on a 3-pointer by make the score 92-86 with 23 seconds remaining, but the Wolves closed the game out with four straight free throws to seal the victory.
 
NSU was led by Ian Smith's 21 points, while Logan Doyle added 20 points and eight rebounds.
 
Southwest Minnesota State hits the road next weekend with a pair of games in North Dakota. The Mustangs face Minot State next Friday, Feb. 3, starting at 8 p.m.