MARSHALL, Minn.- The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (8-5 overall, 5-4 NSIC) snapped its first three game losing streak since 2019 after defeating the University of Mary (9-9, 3-6) 70-57 in a conference clash inside the R/A Facility on Saturday night.
 
The SMSU bench was back in a big way, outscoring the UMary bench 31-14, including a 19-0 advantage in the second quarter. The Mustangs also dominated in the paint, outscoring UMary 26-18 in the paint while collecting four blocks, including three from Abuk Akoi.
 
The Mustangs shot 34.9 percent from the field (22 of 63) and 33.3 percent (9 of 27) from behind the arc, while connecting on 94.4 percent (17 of 18) of their free throws. The Marauders shot 30.6 percent (19 of 62) from the field while sinking 42.1 percent (8 of 19) from range but shot just 64.7 percent (11 of 17) from the free throw line
 
Three Mustangs reached double-figures in points, with Jenna Borchers leading the way with 17 points and adding four rebounds and two assists, Meleah Reinhart tallying 12 points with six rebounds and three assists, and Sam Wall fueling the bench with 11 points. Madison Gehloff led the way on the glass, collecting a career-high 10 rebounds and tying for the team lead with three assists. Akoi also added three assists to go with five rebounds and seven points. Bri Stoltzman also provided a spark off the bench, scoring nine points on 3 of 5 shooting from range.
 
Borchers would open the scoring, dribbling past the timeline off the tip, firing away and drilling a three- pointer in the first five seconds of the game. Each team would exchange 4-0 runs before the two would split eight points to bring the score to 11-8. Borchers ended the quarter the same way she started it, hitting from deep as time expired to take a 14-8 lead into the second quarter.
 
UMary would open the quarter on a 8-2 run in the four minutes to tie the score at 16-16. Stoltzman would lead the team on a 9-2 run, making three three-pointers to give SMSU a 25-18 lead with 3:30 to go in the half. SMSU would close the half scoring 10 of 16 points, with Wall scoring six and Gehloff scoring the other four, taking a 35-24 lead into the locker room.
 
Borchers would again hit a three to open the half, igniting a 13-4 run to give SMSU its largest lead of the game at 48-28 with 7:27 to go in the third quarter. UMary scored the next eight points and 13 of the final 17 points in the quarter, narrowing the SMSU lead to 50-39 with a quarter to go.
 
In the first 4:22 of the fourth quarter, each team would tally 11 points, with four different Mustangs scoring. UMary would score five of seven to close the SMSU lead to 63-55, But SMSU would but the game on ice, with Reinhart making four free throws to lead a 7-2 run, closing the game out and giving the Mustangs a 13 point victory.
 
Southwest Minnesota State hits the road for the first time in 2022, traveling to Aberdeen, S.D., to take on Northern State Friday, Jan 14 at 7:30 p.m., before going to face MSU Moorhead at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 15.