Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Ryan Bruggeman scored a game-high 24 points, dished out nine assists and pulled down five rebounds, while teammate KJ Davis scored a career-high 19 points to lead Southwest Minnesota State to a 93-86 victory over Upper Iowa in Northern Sun Intercollegiate men's basketball on Friday night.
 
SMSU improves to 5-3 overall, 1-1 NSIC, while UIU drops to 6-4 overall, 0-2 NSIC.
 
The victory was the 141^st in the career of SMSU ninth-year head coach Brad Bigler, tying Greg Stemen (2001-09) for the all-time leader in victories in program history.
 
Carter Kirk scored 13 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds with four assists to help the SMSU charge, while Michael Lee chipped in with 12 points before fouling out early in the second half.
 
Carson Parker scored a team-high 20 points for the Peacocks and also grabbed seven rebounds.
 
SMSU finished the night shooting 46 percent (30 of 65) from the field, including 8 of 25 from 3-point range. UIU closed the game shooting 48 percent (30 of 62) from the field, which included 8 of 21 from 3-point range.
 
SMSU made 25 of 28 free throws in the contest, while UIU made 18 of 24 free throws.
 
SMSU used an early 10-0 run to build a 12-4 lead with 15:51 remaining in the first following a jumper by Bruggeman.
 
Following four straight points by UIU made the score 12-8, SMSU countered with seven straight points with a pair of Bruggeman jumpers, sandwiched around a KJ David 3-pointer, to push the lead to 19-8.
 
SMSU pushed the lead to 29-15 following a 3-pointer by Nick Dufault at the 10:21 mark. Dufault would later give the Mustangs their largest lead of the lead at 38-23 with 6:11 following a jumper.
 
SMSU would maintain a double-digit lead for much of the remainder of the half until UIU's Dennis Austin drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to cut the SMSU lead to 45-36 at halftime.
 
SMSU shot 50 percent in the opening half with six 3-pointers. UIU made three 3-pointers and finished shooting 41 percent in the first half.
 
The Mustangs extended the lead to 59-44 with 16 minutes remaining in the game before the Peacocks slowly chipped into the lead, eventually making the score 83-82 with 1:53 left in the game.
 
Davis answered with two free throws, before Austin scored on a layup to make the score 85-84 at the 1:14 mark. Bruggeman countered with a layup with 55 seconds left, before the Mustangs made a stop and Davis was fouled after grabbing the rebound. Davis then made six straight free throws in the final 38 seconds to seal the win.
 
Southwest Minnesota State closes the weekend tomorrow night hosting Winona State starting at 7.