MARYVILLE, MO. – The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team rode a fourth quarter rally to defeat No. 15-ranked Nebraska-Kearney 76-66 on Saturday afternoon to conclude the Northwest Missouri State classic with a 2-0 record. 
 
SMSU (2-0) outscored UNK 29-12 in the final frame to lead them to victory. They will return home for the EverSpring Inn & Suites Classic with a pair of impressive non-conference victories over MIAA teams, while the Lopers will drop to 1-1 overall. It is the first win over a Top 25 opponent since defeating No. 22 Augustana on Jan. 4, 2019.
 
The Mustangs shot 47.4 percent from the field (27-of-57) and 25 percent from the three-point line (2-of-8), while the Lopers shot 41.7 percent from the field (25-of-60) and 25 percent (6-of-24) from beyond the arc. 
 
The differences were in the paint and off of turnovers, as the Mustangs would score 44 points inside and score 21 points off of 16 Loper turnovers, while UNK scored 36 points inside and was only able to convert 10 points off of 13 SMSU turnovers.
 
Meleah Reinhart lead the team with 27 points, shooting 50 percent from the field and 90 percent from the free-throw line, and added eight rebounds and three steals in the comeback. Jenna Borchers brought fire in the fourth quarter, scoring eight of her 16 points in the period en route to victory. Sadie Stelter would also provide eight points in the fourth, finishing the day with 13 points while shooting 7-of-8 from the free throw line.
 
The Mustangs took an early 4-3 lead in the first quarter before a 12-3 UNK run gave the Lopers a 15-7 lead. The teams would trade points the rest of the quarter to give UNK a 23-14 lead. 
 
SMSU started chipping away in the second quarter, scoring the first four points of the second quarter to cut the Loper lead to five. An 8-2 UNK run would give them a 31-20 lead, but the Mustangs would continue to fight back. SMSU would close the half with a 10-4 run to go into the break down five points at 35-30. 
 
UNK opened the third quarter with energy, outscoring SMSU 9-6 in the first five minutes of the quarter to grow their lead to eight. SMSU would surge back to tie the game at 46-46 with 2:56 left in the quarter as a 10-2 run would be fueled by four field goals by four different scorers, including the second three in as many games for Abuk Akoi. UNK would answer with an 8-1 run to close the quarter, taking a 54-47 lead into the fourth. 
 
The first eight points of the fourth quarter would go to the Mustangs, with Stelter scoring four of the eight, including a field goal that would make her the 22^nd player in program history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. Sam Wall would make a layup at the 8:19 mark to give SMSU their first lead at 55-54. The lead would quickly vanish, as the Lopers would score a pair of buckets to take a 58-55 lead with 7:25 left in the quarter.
 
After a pair of Reinhart free throws to cut the UNK lead to one, Lily Schoknecht would get herself in the scoring column for the first time with a layup to take a 59-58 lead. That would be the last time the Mustangs would have to play from behind, as a Reinhart steal turned into instant offense as Borchers would score to go up three and a pair of Wall free throws would extend the lead to five. UNK would bury a three to cut the SMSU lead to two, but the Mustangs would close the game on a 13-5 run to secure the victory. 
 
The Mustangs would shoot 93.8 percent from the free throw line on the fourth quarter (15-of-16) to close out the game. 
 
UNK was led in scoring by Elisa Backes who finished with 19 points. 
 
The Mustangs return home on Friday to host the EverSpring Inn & Suites Classic. SMSU faces Maryville (Mo.) with a 5 p.m. tip-off on Friday in the R/A Facility.