Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball falls 69-51 to conference favorite, Sioux Falls, in the conference opener on Saturday night at the R/A Facility.
 
USF advanced to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC while SMSU dropped to 3-3 and 0-1 in the NSIC.
 
Meleah Reinart led the Mustangs with 13 points while four Mustangs, Sadie Stelter, Caleigh Rodning, Erin Baxter, and Abok Akoi, all contributed a team-best five rebounds
 
USF shot 46 percent from the field (31 of 67) and 15 percent (3 of 20) from beyond the arc, while SMSU shot 32 percent (18 of 56) and a mere 12 percent from the 3-point line (3 of 25).
 
USF opened the first period with a 11-0 run to gain a 13-2 lead over SMSU. Sioux Falls converted 10 points in the paint and created six points off turnovers. USF outscored SMSU in bench points as USF's contributed nine points compared to SMSU's zero.
 
Sara Teske earned the Mustangs' first points off the game after grabbing an offensive rebound after a missed 3-pointer from Sarah Buysse. Teske went two for three in the first half and grabbed two boards.
 
SMSU came out in the second period to go for a 5-0 run with consecutive baskets from Reinhart and Stelter. Akoi came out to earn a three-point play with a good basket and earning her and-one. Akoi went back to the free-throw line to go 3 for 3 from the free-throw line in the first half.
 
SMSU stayed with USF in the third period both scoring 14 points. SMSU went to the three-throw line seven times to go 6 of 7 while USF never made a free-throw attempt in the third quarter.
 
USF was led by Krystal Carlson with 20 points (9 of 15). USF finished the fourth quarter shooting 42 percent and outscoring SMSU 18-15.
 
Southwest Minnesota State hosts Minnesota State next Friday, Dec. 7 at 5:30 p.m. and Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. to conclude a five-game homestand.