MARSHALL, Minn.- The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (7-2 overall, 4-1 NSIC) has won seven of its first nine games for the first time since 2009-10 after defeating Upper Iowa (1-9, 0-5) 75-51 in a conference matchup inside the R/A Facility on Saturday night. 
 
After leading 31-28 at half, the Mustangs would explode, outscoring the Peacocks 28-8 in the third quarter en route to victory. The bench continued their strong 2021-22 campaign, outscoring UIU's bench 38-7, while dominating inside the paint 40-12. 
 
Sam Wall would lead the second unit for the second consecutive night, scoring a team-high 12 points in just 12 minutes. Madison Gehloff would score 11 points on 5 of 6 shooting off the bench to help energize the team while adding four rebounds.
 
The Mustangs shot 46.8 percent from the field (29 of 62) and 30 percent (9 of 30) from behind the arc, while the Peacocks would be held to just 28.1 percent from the field (16 of 57) and 28.6 percent (6 of 29) from behind the arc.
 
12 different Mustangs would fill the scoring column, while 13 different women would collect a rebound. Wall and Gehloff were two of four double-figure scorers, with Meleah Reinhart scoring 11 points and Abuk Akoi adding 10 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Sadie Stelter would record a team-high six rebounds, four assists, and two steals, all while adding nine points.
 
UIU would open the game on an 8-3 run in the first five minutes, shooting 3 of 6 to the 1 of 8 shooting by SMSU. Akoi would drill a three pointer from the top of the arc to begin an 8-2 SMSU run to give them an 11-10 lead, but UIU would hit from deep with 23 seconds left to take a 13-11 lead into the break, ending SMSU's chances of their first first quarter lead of the season.
 
The Mustangs would start the second quarter scoring with an 8-0 run in two minutes to take a 19-13 lead behind four points by Bri Stoltzman. UIU would score the next nine points to take a 22-19 lead, but Gehloff would end the run with a three to tie the score at 22-22.
 
UIU would take a 24-22 lead, but a 7-0 SMSU run lead by five Reinhart points would take a 29-24 lead with 1:39 to go in the half. UIU would trim the lead to 29-28, but Sam Wall would make a pair of free throws to end the half and take a 31-28 lead into the locker room. 
 
The second half Mustangs showed up again, racing up and down the floor to go on a 14-3 run in a nearly four minute stretch to open the quarter, led by five points apiece from Erin Baxter and Wall. UIU would hit a three to trail 45-34, but a 14-2 Mustang run to end the quarter would put them up 59-36. 
 
The change of quarter wouldn't affect the momentum of SMSU, as they would open the fourth with a 12-5 run, capped off by a putback from Sarah Conlon off a missed free throw to take a 30-point led at 71-41 with 7:32 to go in the game. UIU would outscore SMSU 10-4 the rest of the way, but it wouldn't be enough to overcome the middle quarter Mustangs. 
 
Southwest Minnesota State hits the road next weekend, playing at Concordia-St. Paul on Friday, Dec. 17 before going to Mankato to face Minnesota State on Saturday, Dec. 18.