Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Wayne State won for the first time in Marshall since 2000, snapping a 19-game losing streak, in earning a 75-68 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball on Saturday night in the R/A Facility.
 
WSC, which improves to 11-3 overall, 6-2 NSIC, earned its first win over SMSU in Marshall since Feb. 12, 2000. It's also just the second win for WSC in the series in the last 16 meetings overall.
 
The Wildcats finished the night with a 45-33 rebound advantage and made 20 of 30 from the free throws. WSC shot 41 percent (25 of 61) from the field and made 5 of 16 from 3-point range.
 
SMSU dropped to 8-6 overall, 3-5 NSIC, in losing for the fifth time at home and fourth in NSIC play. The Mustangs closed the game shooting 43 percent (28 of 65), including 6 of 22 from 3-point range, but made just 1 of 13 from long-range in the second half.
 
SMSU made 6 of 8 from the free throw and finished the two-game weekend attempting just 13 free throws. SMSU two opponents this weekend combined to make 30 of 41 free throws.
 
Ryan Bruggeman scored a game-high 22 points for the Mustangs on 9 of 16 shooting with seven rebounds. Taylor Schafer and Michael Lee both added 11 points, while Braedan Hanson finished with seven rebounds.
 
Kendall Jacks led the Wildcats with 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
 
WSC opened a tight game with a short 7-0 run midway through the opening half to build a 24-14 lead with 8:18 on the clock.
 
A three-point play by Schafer and a 3-pointer by Lee cut the deficit to 24-20, but WSC had another answer and extended the lead to 37-24 with 5:27 remaining.

Trailing 38-27, Lee connected on a 3-pointer with three minutes remaining and following two scoreless minutes by both squads, Kenny Byers hit a 15-foot jump shot to trim the WSC advantage to 38-32.
 
WSC's Jacks hit a field goal with 14 seconds left, but Bruggeman closed the half with a final-second field goal to cut the WSC lead to 40-34 at halftime.
 
SMSU shot 47 percent in the first half, but committed eight turnovers and were outrebounded 23-17.
 
The Mustangs cut the deficit to four points on two occasions early in the second half, but the Wildcats used a quick 6-0 run to build its first double-digit lead of the half at 48-38 with 16:48 remaining.
 
The lead moved to 57-44 with 11:46 left in the game before a layup by Byers, a three-point play by Nick Dufault and a layup from Bruggeman pulled SMSU to within 57-51 midway through the half.
 
WSC maintained a 59-53 cushion with 9:30 remaining before scoring eight straight points and pushing the lead to 67-53 at the 7:33 mark.
 
SMSU would later trail 72-57, but wouldn't go away and scored 11 straight points, capped by a jumper from Bruggeman to cut the lead to 72-68 with 1:23 left.
 
Schafer picked up a steal on the ensuing WSC possession, but Bruggeman's 3-pointer with 38 seconds fell off the rim and WSC was able to secure the rebound. WSC made three of four free throws in the final 31 seconds to seal the victory.
 
Southwest Minnesota State hits the road next weekend for a pair of NSIC South Division games. SMSU takes on Concordia-St. Paul on Friday, Jan. 11, before facing Minnesota State on Saturday, Jan. 12.