Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team used a balanced scoring attack with five players in double figures and connected on 10 3-pointers to earn a 73-58 victory over Minot State in non-conference play inside the R/A Facility.
 
The victory completed a weekend sweep for SMSU (2-0), which earned a 74-62 win on Saturday over MISU.
 
Jenna Borchers paced the SMSU scoring on Sunday with 15 points on 5 of 11 shooting with four 3-pointers. Sadie Stelter and Erin Baxter each scored 11 points, while Abuk Akoi and Meleah Reinhart both collected 10 points.
 
Baxter, Akoi and Madison Gehloff each pulled down a game-high six rebounds for the Mustangs. SMSU held a 38-31 rebound advantage and closed the game shooting 47 percent (28 of 60) from the field, including 10 of 26 from 3-point range.
 
Minot State (0-2) was led in scoring by Amber Stevahn's 13 points making 6 of 10 shots. The Beavers finished the game shooting 41 percent (25 of 61), but made just 2 of 15 3-pointers.
 
SMSU played outstanding defense in the opening quarter, limiting MISU to 27 percent shooting, in building a 17-9 lead after one quarter.
 
Reinhart connected on a 3-pointer to open the second quarter, while Gehloff would later drill a jumper to give SMSU a 22-12 advantage with 7:50 left in the half.
 
MISU would later trim SMSU's lead to 22-16, but the Mustangs answered by closing the half on 13-6 run to build a 35-22 halftime edge.
 
SMSU shot 47 percent in the opening half with Stelter scoring a team-high eight points with a pair of 3-pointers.
 
The Mustangs used a big start to the second half to open a 41-24 cushion with 7:33 remaining in the third following a Sam Wall 3-pointer. The Beavers cut the deficit to nine points on three occasions in the third, but the Mustangs used a 10-4 spurt to end the quarter, capped off by a Borchers 3-pointer to extend the lead to 55-40 after three.
 
SMSU cruised in the fourth quarter as the lead never dipped below 13 for the remainder of the game.
 
Southwest Minnesota State returns to action next Friday, Jan. 8, opening NSIC South Division play at Winona State with tip-off slated for 6 p.m.