Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State snapped a two-game losing streak with hard-fought 90-86 victory over Concordia-St. Paul in NSIC men's basketball on Saturday night at the R/A Facility.
 
The game featured 16 lead changes and was tied 12 times as SMSU (6-3, 1-2 NSIC) earned its fifth straight win over CSP since Jan. 20, 2017.
 
Ryan Bruggeman poured in a game-high 24 points on 6 of 13 shooting from the field, while making 12 of 13 from the free throw line. He also had 10 assists for his second double-double of the season. Bruggeman's strong scoring night moves him into sole possession of second place on the SMSU career scoring list with 1,604 points. He surpassed Mike Tobin, who scored 1,600 from 1982-86. Jacob Fahl (1998-2003) is the all-time scoring leader with 1,638 points.
 
Kenny Byers also had solid night for the Mustangs tying a career-high with 20 points on 7 of 11 shooting, while teammate Steven McNease recorded his second double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Taylor Schafer added 17 points with three 3-pointers, while Nick Dufault also made three 3-pointers and finished with nine points.
 
CSP (4-4, 0-3 NSIC), which dropped its fourth straight game, had five players reach double figures in scoring, with Bryndan Matthews scoring a team-high 21 points with eight rebounds and seven assists.
 
SMSU finished the night shooting 49 percent (28 of 57) from the field, including 11 of 21 from 3-point range. CSP shot a solid 52 percent (35 of 67), but connected on just six of 20 from 3-point land.
 
SMSU opened an early 10-2 lead and later held a 13-7 advantage following a 3-pointer by Dufault with 16:13 on the clock.
 
CSP quickly answered and took its largest lead of the half at 21-15 with 11 minutes remaining in the half.
 
The Mustangs rallied and eventually tied the score at 23 at the 8:09 mark after three free throws by Taylor Schafer.
 
The Golden Bears would later build the lead to six points on three occasions for the remainder of the half, but the Mustangs closed the half with two made free throws by McNease and Byers to cut the deficit to 46-44 at halftime.
 
CSP shot 53 percent in the first half with four 3-pointers, while SMSU shot 45 percent with six 3-pointers.
 
As was the story all night, the teams played a tight opening minutes of the second half before Schafer and Byers scored back-to-back field goals to give SMSU a 65-61 lead with 12:25 remaining.
 
CSP regained the lead two minutes later but Byers and Schafer drilled 3-pointers to put SMSU back in front at 73-68 at the 9:23.
 
CSP wouldn't go away and tied the game on pair of occasions over the next two minutes, including at 77-77 with seven minutes left following a field goal by Isaiah McKay. McNease would put SMSU back in front scoring off an offensive rebound with 6:41 left to make the score 79-77. SMSU, which never trailed again, added to the lead just over a minute later as Nick Dufault hit a huge 3-pointer from the corner to extend the margin to 82-77.
 
SMSU would maintain an 86-80 lead with 2:48 remaining, but a pair of CSP field goals cut the lead to one possession at 86-84 with 1:39 left. Bruggeman then came through and scored on a layup to make the score 88-84 with 1:07 remaining.
 
CSP's Jalen Mobley answered with a field goal to cut the SMSU lead to 88-86, before the Golden Bears forced an SMSU missed field goal on the ensuing possession and grabbed the rebound for a chance to tie the game or regain the lead. Moments later, McKay was fouled with nine seconds remaining and stepped to the foul line for a chance to tie the game. McKay missed the front-end of the one-and-one and Bruggeman grabbed the rebound and was fouled with six seconds left. Bruggeman drilled both free throws to seal the victory.
 
Southwest Minnesota State will hit the road next weekend for the first time this season facing St. Cloud State on Friday, Dec. 14, starting at 7:30 p.m.