Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Ryan Bruggeman connected on a career-high 15 field goals and scored a season-high 33 points with eight rebounds and three assists to pace Southwest Minnesota State to an 83-70 non-conference victory over Mayville State (N.D.) in men's college basketball at the R/A Facility on Wednesday night.
 
SMSU (2-1) finished the game shooting 57 percent (37 of 65) from the field, including 6 of 12 from 3-point range and committed just eight turnovers. SMSU also held a 34-31 rebound advantage.
 
MSU (4-2), a member of NAIA Division II and a national tournament qualifier last season, led 45-42 at halftime after making nine 3-pointers in the opening half. SMSU rallied and tightened up on defense in the final 20 minutes limiting the Comets to just 37 percent shooting from the field with three 3-pointers.
 
Taylor Schafer poured in a season-high 19 points on 8 of 10 shooting with three 3-pointers to pace the Mustang offense. Nick Dufault and Braedan Hanson each added 10 points off the bench, while Hanson grabbed six rebounds. Steven McNease came off the bench and pulled down seven rebounds.
 
MSU, which played the game as an exhibition, was led by Daniel Lindgren's 20 points on 8 of 20 shooting. The Comets finished the evening shooting 44 percent (28 of 64) from the field and made 12 of 30 from 3-point range.
 
SMSU held an early 11-10 lead with 15 minutes and 33 seconds left in the first before using a 13-6 spurt capped by a Hanson 3-pointer to extend the margin to 24-16 at the 11:22 mark.
 
The Mustangs would later expand the lead to 40-30, their largest of the half, with 4:28 remaining following a field goal by Hanson.
 
MSU answered back and connected on five 3-pointers in the final 3:30 of the half to take a 45-42 halftime advantage.
 
The Comets made 9 of 20 3-pointers in the opening half with Lindgren scoring 15 points.
 
The Mustangs were also red-hot shooting in the first half connecting on 19 of 31 field goals for 61 percent and made 3 of 6 from long-rang.
 
SMSU took its first lead of the second half at 51-49 on a Bruggeman layup at the 17:15 mark, but MSU countered with a 3-pointer and a field goal to go back in front at 54-53.
 
SMSU reeled off nine straight points—started by a 3-pointer from Schafer—and closed off by a Hanson field goal to build a 62-54 lead with 13:29 on the clock.
 
MSU wouldn't go away and scored nine straight to regain the lead at 63-62 midway through the half. Hanson then came through with a huge 3-pointer to put SMSU back in front and the Mustangs never trailed again. The long-range shot started a 15-2 run over a four-minute span to extend the margin to 77-65 with 5:41 remaining after a 3-pointer by Schafer.
 
Southwest Minnesota State continues its homestand next Monday, Nov. 19, taking on Bethany Lutheran College with tip-off slated for 6 p.m.