Box Score

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State recorded its fourth straight victory behind Carter Kirk's 19 points and 14 rebounds to earn a convincing 82-59 road victory over St. Cloud State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball at Halenbeck Hall on Saturday night.
 
SMSU improves to 8-3 overall, 4-1 NSIC, using a balanced scoring attack on Saturday with five players scoring in double figures.
 
Kirk finished the night making 9 of 12 from the field and added three steals and two blocked shots while recording his third double-double of the season. Ryan Bruggeman picked up a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists, while Michael Lee added 11 points with three 3-pointers. Nick Dufault scored 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers, while Kenny Byers added a career-high 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers to help the Mustang charge.
 
SMSU finished the game shooting 53 percent (32 of 61) from the field, including 8 of 16 from 3-point range.
 
SCSU (6-3, 3-1 NSIC), which had its four-game winning streak snapped, shot 39 percent (22 of 56) which included 7 of 15 on 3-pointers. The Huskies were led by Brindley Theisen's 13 points.
 
St. Cloud State opened the game connecting on four 3-pointers in the first five and a half minutes to build an early 14-7 lead—its largest advantage of the game.
 
Midway through the first half SMSU took charge putting together an 11-0 run, highlighted by seven straight points from Byers, to lead 25-18 with seven minutes remaining and never trailed again.
 
SMSU took its largest lead of the opening half 33-24 at the 3:10 mark following a Taylor Schafer field goal, but eventually settling for a 37-30 lead into halftime.
 
SCSU cut the deficit to 38-32 early in the second half, but a pair of KJ Davis free throws and back-to-back field goals by Kirk extended the SMSU lead to 44-32.
 
SCSU answered with five straight points, but a jumper from Dufault and a 3-pointer by Byers pushed the lead to 49-37 and the SMSU lead never dipped below double-digits the remainder of the game.
 
A pair of field goals by Kirk, sandwiched around a 3-pointer by Lee, midway through the second half put the game away as the Mustangs built a 59-41 lead. SMSU would eventually take a 20-point lead at 69-47 following back-to-back 3-pointers by Dufault with 5:43 remaining
 
SMSU finished the game with a 41-29 rebound advantage.
 
Southwest Minnesota State returns home on Saturday, Dec. 16, facing the University of Sioux Falls with tip-off slated for 7 p.m.