MARSHALL, Minn.- The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (5-2 overall, 2-1 NSIC) controlled the middle quarters behind a dominant performance by Abuk Akoi to take down Augustana (3-3, 0-3) 72-58 in an NSIC clash inside the R/A Facility on Saturday night. 
 
Trailing 15-13 into the second quarter, the Mustangs would catch fire, outscoring the Vikings 49-25 in the second and third quarters to cruise to victory. SMSU also saw an advantage in their depth, outscoring the Vikings 27-13 off the bench. 
 
 Akoi, the senior from Sioux Falls, S.D., had her best performance of the season, going for 11 points, 12 rebounds, six blocks and tying a career-high with four assists while going a career-best 3 of 6 behind the arc. 
 
After making only one three-pointer on Thursday, the Mustangs found their shot, shooting 36.7 percent from behind the arc (11 of 30) while shooting 40.3 percent from the field (25-of-62). The Vikings were held to 25 percent from range (4-of-16) while shooting 30.7 percent from the field (23-of-75).
 
SMSU had four players in double figures. Akoi was joined by Sadie Stelter, who led the way with 13 points while collecting three assists. Meleah Reinhart returned to the lineup with 12 points and a pair of steals. Madison Gehloff led the bench efforts today, going for 12 points and adding five rebounds. Bri Stoltzman played the best game of her young career, reaching career-highs in points, with seven, and rebounds, with four. 
 
After missing Thursday's game, Reinhart found the bottom of the basket early, opening the scoring with a three-pointer. Augie would strike for 12 of the next 16 points and take a 12-7 advantage. An Akoi three-pointer and Hannah Parsley layup would tie the game at 12-12, but Augie would close the quarter outscoring SMSU 3-1 to go into the second quarter with a 15-13 lead. 
 
The second quarter was all Mustangs, as they would open the quarter on a 15-4 run, with five Mustangs scoring led by five points from Stoltzman. Augie would trim the SMSU lead from 10 to 7, but Gehloff and Akoi would each make a three-pointer to close the half with a 40-27 lead. SMSU would shoot 55.6 percent from behind the arc in the quarter to help outscore the Vikings 27-12. 
 
The first six and a half minutes of the third quarter would be back and forth, with SMSU increasing their lead to 51-36 with 3:41 left in the quarter. The Mustangs would catch fire to close the quarter, going on an 11-4 run while making three of four three-pointers, two by Borchers and one by Akoi. 
 
Akoi's three with 28 seconds to go would give SMSU a commanding 62-40 lead into the final frame. She would also collect two blocks and an assist in that final 3:41 to prove her dominance in the game. 
 
The teams would split the first 18 points of the fourth quarter as SMSU wasn't afraid to trade buckets to close the game. With the game all but decided, Augie would close the game strong, finishing on a 9-1 run to reach the final score. 
 
Augie was led by Vishe' Rabb, who would put up a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds while dishing a team-high five assists.
 
The Mustangs stay home next weekend, hosting Winona State on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Upper Iowa on Saturday at 5:30 p.m., inside the R/A Facility.