Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Ryan Bruggeman scored a career-high 34 points—becoming the first Southwest Minnesota State player to score 30 points in a game since 2004—to help lead the Mustangs to a 79-68 victory over the University of Sioux Falls in the quarterfinals of NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament at the Sanford Pentagon on Sunday night.
 
Bruggeman connected on 10 of 15 field goals and 13 of 14 free throws, while also recording six rebounds and four assists to lead SMSU into Monday night's semifinal game. SMSU will play either Augustana or Northern State at 8 p.m. on Monday night in the tournament semifinals.

Jared Keaveny was the last SMSU player to score 30 or more points in a game, pouring in 32 versus Minnesota Crookston on Feb. 21, 2004.
 
SMSU (24-5) earned the victory with solid shooting and outstanding defense in defeating USF for the third time this season. SMSU finished the night shooting 51 percent (27 of 53) from the field and made 21 of 28 free throws.
 
USF, which finishes the season 15-17 overall, shot 37 percent (24 of 65) from the field, including 8 of 23 from 3-point range. Drew Geubert led the Cougars with 19 points and drilled four 3-pointers.
 
Joey Bartlett (11), Carter Kirk (10) and Turner Moen (10) all scored in double figures for the Mustangs, with Kirk and Bartlett both recording a team-high seven rebounds.
 
SMSU started the game shooting red-hot from the field, making 14 of its first 21 field goal attempts to build a 33-23 lead with 7:48 remaining in the half. Bartlett would later connect on 3-pointer to give the Mustangs its first 13-point lead of the half at 36-23 at the 5:54 mark.
 
SMSU would struggle down the stretch in opening half, missing its final six shot attempts, as USF closed the half on an 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 38-33 at halftime.
 
The Mustangs made 15 of 31 field goals (48 percent) in the first half with four 3-pointers and committed just two turnovers.
 
USF scored the first basket of the second half, but SMSU answered with a 10-0 run, including six points from Bruggeman to push the lead to 48-35. Moments later Bruggeman hit three free throws—after being fouled on a 3-pointer—to give SMSU a 51-37 advantage with 14:38 left in the second half.
 
SMSU would maintain a double-digit lead for much of the remainder of the game, including building its lead to 64-49 following two straight Bruggeman field goals at the 5:59 mark.
 
USF would not go away and trimmed the deficit to 73-66 with 1:15 left, but Bruggeman was a perfect 6 for 6 from the free throw line to seal the victory.
 
SMSU will be making its first NSIC tournament semifinal appearance since 2014 and 10^th all-time.