Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State (15-11, 10-11 NSIC) used strong-shooting to top Wayne State (16-11, 11-10 NSIC), 77-60, on Friday night in the R/A Facility.
 
With just one game remaining in the regular season, SMSU avenged the Wildcats after falling 79-62 in Wayne, Neb., on Jan. 4.
 
SMSU finished shooting 44 percent from the field (25-of-57) and 44 percent from the 3-point line (12-of-27) while the Wildcats recorded 37 percent from the field (23-of-63) and 23 percent from beyond the arc (3-of-13).
 
Jenna Borchers recorded her third 20-point game this season to lead the team with 22 points, while Abuk Akoi and Meleah Reinhart added 12 while Sadie Stelter finished with 11. Akoi was one-rebound shy of a double-double with her team-high nine rebounds.
 
The Mustangs used the combined efforts of long-range shooting the efforts from the bench as Stelter came off the bench with 11, Erin Baxter and Madison Gehloff finished with six, and Sara Teske ended with four points.
 
The Wildcats kept the Mustangs scoreless on a 5-0 run to open the quarter and would take the lead for the first time with just under three minutes remaining with a 3-pointer from Stelter.
 
SMSU kept the lead and gained so much as a 16-point lead with under four minutes. With a trip to the line for WSC's Josey Ryan to sink both free-throws, the Wildcats ended the first half with 39-29 deficit.
 
WSC's Erin Norling, who finished with a team-high 18 points, broke away for a fast break layup to trail eight points in the opening few minutes. The Wildcats came within six points with 7:40 left in the third quarter but Borchers' 10-point quarter helped to keep the Mustangs with the advantage heading into the final quarter.
 
Typical to Mustang basketball, SMSU had three 3-pointers in the final quarter to help secure the victory.
 
The Mustangs victory broke a 21-game losing skid to the Wildcats and was the first victory for the Mustangs in Marshall since the 2004-05 season.
 
Southwest Minnesota State hosts Augustana in the final regular game at 4 p.m. in the R/A Facility.