Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – The University of Sioux Falls shot 56 percent from the field, including connecting 10 on 3-pointers, to earn a 94-72 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference opener for both teams in men's college basketball.
 
USF (6-1, 1-0 NSIC) was led by Milan Surlic's 27 points on 9 of 15 shooting with four 3-pointers, while Trevon Evans (23) and Drew Guebert (21) also both reached the 20-point scoring mark. The Cougars closed the game shooting 56 percent (31 of 55) from the field and held a 41-28 rebound advantage.
 
SMSU (5-2, 0-1 NSIC), which had its five-game winning streak snapped, was paced by Ryan Bruggeman, who poured in 31 points with seven assists and five steals.
 
The Mustangs, which entered the game ranked first in Division II in 3-point field goal pct., made just 8 of 22 from long-range for a season-low 36 percent. SMSU shot 41 percent (25 of 61) overall from the field—its second lowest shooting of the season.
 
Michael Lee added 15 points for the Mustangs, while Kenny Byers chipped in with 10 points. Steven McNease pulled down a game-high nine rebounds for the Mustangs.
 
USF, which was picked to win the NSIC South Division, held a 15-9 advantage with 14 minutes and 24 seconds remaining in the first half. SMSU rallied with an 11-1 run over the next five and a half minutes to take a 20-16 lead with 9:05 left following a 3-pointer by Lee.
 
USF countered with its own big run, using a 17-5 spurt over a three and a half minute span, to build a 33-25 lead with 5:44 left in the half.
 
SMSU cut the deficit to 37-31 after a layup by Byers at the 2:35 mark, but the Cougars continued to expand on the lead and eventually took a 45-33 lead into halftime following a three-point play by Drew Guebert with 42 seconds left in the half. 
 
USF shot 52 percent in the first half with seven 3-pointers and held a 20-12 rebound advantage.
 
The Mustangs shot 48 percent in the opening half with three 3-pointers but failed to grab an offensive rebound. Bruggeman paced the SMSU offense in the opening half with 18 points on 6 of 8 shooting. 
 
SMSU trailed 52-40 with 16:33 left in the second half, but that was as close as the Mustangs would come, as USF had an answer for every SMSU run and built a 62-45 lead following a three-point play by Surlic at the 12:49 mark.
 
SMSU made one last comeback attempt, cutting the deficit to 84-69 with four minutes left on a layup by Bruggeman, but Evans and Surlic scored on back-to-back fields on ensuing possessions to seal the victory.
 
Southwest Minnesota State continues home action next Friday, Dec. 7, facing Minnesota State with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m.