MARSHALL, Minn. -- The Southwest Minnesota State men's basketball team opened NSIC action on Tuesday night with a 73-65 victory over the University of Sioux Falls inside the R/A Facility.

Anthony Costello led four Mustangs in double figures with 15 points, while grabbing six rebounds. Jake Phipps recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Cliff McCray scored 13 points and Dunwa Omot added 12 points.

SMSU closed the game shooting 42 percent (22 of 53), including 3 of 13 from 3-point range, while USF shot 38 percent (21 of 56) from the field and made just 6 of 27 from 3-point range.

SMSU committed just eight turnovers and held a 38-34 rebound advantage.

The game started slow for the Mustangs as the Cougars built a 14-2 advantage in the first seven minutes of the game. McCray stopped USF run with a 3-pointer, Phipps followed with a layup and Sam Schwartz added two free throws to cut the deficit to 14-9 at the 11:53 mark.

Phipps would score later in the half to trim the USF advantage to 24-21 with five minutes left in the half. The Cougars would continue to hold on to close the half and build a 32-29 halftime lead.

SMSU would finally take its first lead of the game as Phipps scored on a layup at the 17:30 mark to give the Mustangs a 37-35 advantage. SMSU would continue to roll and eventually pushed the lead to 47-35 following a 3-pointer by Mason Lund with 15 minutes remaining.

USF would pull to within 54-46 with 8:26 remaining but a field goal by Omot and two baskets from Costello extended the SMSU lead to 60-46.

USF battled and cut the SMSU lead to 67-62 with 37 seconds remaining, but SMSU's Jakob Braaten hit a pair of clutch free throws to help seal the victory.

SMSU returns to non-conference play on Saturday hosting Mount Marty (S.D.) at 2 p.m.