Box Score

MINOT, N.D.- Southwest Minnesota State shot better than 50 percent from the field as a team in the first half and Joey Bartlett finished with a game high 18 points as the Mustangs defeated Minot State 74-64 on Friday night in the MSU Dome.

Mitch Weg came just two rebounds shy of a double-double, scoring 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting in addition to his eight total rebounds. Ryan Bruggeman also made it into double-figures in scoring with 10 points and five assists on the night while Carter Kirk had 11 boards, six points, a blocked shot and one steal in the win.

Southwest Minnesota State shot 43 percent from the floor as a group while knocking down nine three pointers. SMSU also took advantage of 15 offensive rebounds to finish with a 22-6 advantage in second chance points. The Mustangs finished the night with a 43-30 rebounding advantage overall and led for almost the entire game, holding a lead for 36:30.

A good jumper from Bruggeman at the 15:39 mark of the first half gave the Mustangs a lead at 6-4 that they never looked back from. SMSU went 16-of-31 (52 percent) from the field in the first half while holding the Beavers to just 11-of-29 (38 percent) and just 2-of-8 on three pointers.

The Mustangs led by as many as 19 points in the first half of play and took a 16 point lead into the half. Southwest Minnesota State's 41-25 halftime advantage was their largest halftime lead since leading Michigan Tech by 17 at the half back on Nov. 18. Just as they did back in that early season non-conference game, the Mustangs let their foot off of the gas slightly in the game's second frame.

Weg hit a layup just over four minutes into the second half to give SMSU a 21 point lead, its largest of the game. After Turner Moen hit a layup to push the SMSU lead back up to 21, Minot State went on a 8-0 run to cut into the Mustangs' lead.

SMSU then suffered from a scoreless drought that lasted nearly four minutes as Minot State crept back into the game, getting within six points after a made three pointer with 3:50 to play in the second half. 

Joey Bartlett ended the Mustangs' drought with a made layup at the 2:25 mark and knocked down a trey with less than 90 seconds to play in the game. Ryan Bruggeman then hit a slew of free throws to ice the game for SMSU.

Southwest Minnesota State will now travel to Bismarck, N.D., as they face U-Mary tomorrow night at 6 p.m.