Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Kenny Byers scored a career-high 20 points and pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds for his first career double-double to pace Southwest Minnesota State to a 100-81 victory over Crown College in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday at the R/A Facility.
 
SMSU, which improves to 5-1 overall with its fifth straight victory in its final regular season non-conference game, will open Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play next Saturday, Dec. 1, hosting the University of Sioux Falls starting at 6 p.m.
 
Byers was one of five Mustangs to finish in double figure scoring and help the SMSU reach 100 points for the second time this season. Nick Dufault scored a season-high 22 points to pace SMSU, while Ryan Bruggeman (17), Taylor Schafer (12) and Braedan Hanson (10) also reached double figures in scoring. Bruggeman's point total today pushes his career mark to 1,513 points, moving past Andre Beasley for fourth in team history.  
 
SMSU finished the game shooting 54 percent (39 of 72) from the field, including 9 of 22 from 3-point range. The Mustangs have shot 50 percent or higher in each of the last five games and have reached 90 or more points in four of its last five games.
 
Crown, a member of Division III, shot 42 percent (29 of 69) from the field, but connected on 16 of 38 from 3-point range. Today's game was an exhibition for Crown, which is 2-2 overall.
 
SMSU closed the game with a 47-28 rebound advantage with Steven McNease (9) and Michael Lee (7) both joining Byers with strong rebounding games. The rebound edge gave SMSU a 12-0 scoring advantage in second chance points.
 
SMSU, which never trailed in the game, scored the game's first five points and built a 29-15 lead midway through the first half following a Byers layup. The field goal came during an 8-0 SMSU run that pushed the lead to 33-15 with just over nine minutes left in the half.
 
The Storm would rally and cut the deficit to 37-27 at the five-minute mark, but a field goal by McNease started a quick 6-0 run to slow the comeback attempt. SMSU would eventually build a 20-point lead before settling for a 49-34 halftime lead.
 
SMSU limited Crown to just 34 percent (12 of 35) shooting in the opening half, but the Storm stayed in the game by connecting on seven 3-pointers.
 
Byers scored the first four points of the second half to help SMSU extend the lead to 64-42 with 15:20 left in the game. Following a pair of Crown free throws, SMSU put the game away as a back-to-back jumpers from Bruggeman sparked a 12-0 run, capped by a layup from Kolin Bartlett to build the lead to 32 points—its largest of the game—at 76-44 with 12:33 left in the game.
 
Timothy Wendel scored a game-high 14 points with six rebounds to pace Crown.