Box Score
MARSHALL, Minn.— Lauren Hedlund grabbed a career high 18 rebounds and Southwest Minnesota State went on a 25-8 run in the second half to almost completely erase a 19-point deficit, but No. 14 Winona State hit a slew of free throws in the game's final minute to prevail with a 74-65 win on Friday night in the R/A Facility.
 
SMSU (1-12, 1-8) shot 42 percent (24-of-57) on the night while the Warriors went 30-of-63 (48 percent) on its field goal attempts. The Mustangs dominated the glass pulling in 46 total rebounds including 19 offensive boards (both season highs). Lauren Hedlund set a new career high with 18 rebounds on the night with 10 coming on the offensive glass. Hedlund also posted her third double-double of the season and her ninth of her career scoring 13 points in the loss.
 
Caleigh Rodning (16), Sarah Buysse (15), and Taylor Holicky (11) made it four total Mustangs to make it into double digits in scoring. Rodning went 7-of-11 (64 percent) shooting on the night making it a fourth straight game shooting at least 60 percent from the field. Holicky added 11 rebounds on the night to notch her third double-double of the season as well.
 
Southwest Minnesota State was first on the scoreboard after a made three pointer from Taylor Holicky. The bucket was answered by a 7-0 run from Winona State over the next 2:18, giving the Warriors a lead they would hold throughout the remainder of the game. Winona State shot 52 percent (11-of-21) from the field in the first quarter while the Mustangs shot 44 percent with three made three-point attempts in the quarter.
 
Winona State led by as many as nine during the opening quarter but an 11-5 run during a six minute stretch into the second quarter got the Mustangs within two with WSU leading 30-28.
 
Winona State would finish the first half on an 8-4 run forcing 13 SMSU turnovers in the half to help the Warriors carry a 38-32 lead into the break. Hedlund finished with seven rebounds in the second quarter alone ending the first half with six points and 13 boards.
 
Winona State came out of the break strong crafting its largest lead of 19 with a 21-8 run to start the half as SMSU went just 2-of-7 from the field to start the third quarter. SMSU hit four free throws for the final points of the third to cut into the Warriors' lead heading into the fourth.
 
SMSU came storming back in the game's final quarter making the contest a one-possession game on a Sarah Buysse free throw that made the Winona State lead just 67-65. The free throw capped off a 25-8 run for the Mustangs in which Caleigh Rodning led SMSU with 10 points while Sarah Buysse added another eight. SMSU forced six Warriors' turnovers in just over ten minutes of action to give the Mustangs a chance heading into the game's final two minutes.
 
Jenny Tuttle knocked down an open trey with 1:32 left to stop the Mustangs' run and put the Warriors up by two scores. The Mustangs committed two turnovers in the final 1:15 and the Warriors hit four free throws to put away its fourth straight victory.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will now turn its attention to Upper Iowa who the Mustangs defeated 79-70 for their first win of the year back on Dec. 2. The Mustangs and Peacocks will tip-off from the R/A Facility Saturday evening at 5 p.m.