WINONA, Minn. – Anthony Costello scored a team-high 14 points, while teammate
Jakob Braaten added a career-high 11 points, while adding five rebounds and five assists—in his first career start—to pace Southwest Minnesota State to a 62-46 victory over Winona State in NSIC men's college basketball on Friday night at McCown Gym.
SMSU, which snapped a two-game losing streak, held WSU to 30 percent (18 of 60) shooting, including 6 of 28 from 3-point range. It was the lowest point total and field goal percentage by an SMSU opponent this season.
SMSU improves to 5-3 overall, 2-2 NSIC, while WSU drops to 6-3 overall, 1-3 NSIC.
The Mustangs used a balanced scoring attack in the win with
Dunwa Omot scoring nine points, while
Jake Phipps and
Majok Majouk each chipped in with eight points.
Phipps pulled down a game-high nine rebounds and blocked three shots, while making 4 of 5 field goal attempts.
SMSU closed the night shooting 48 percent (24 of 50), while making 8 of 22 from 3-point range.
Connor Dillon led the Warriors with 14 points with four 3-pointers. WSU held a 33-31 rebound advantage.
The game was tied 12 with midway through the first half before Costello reeled off seven straight points to give the Mustangs a 19-14 lead. Following a 3-pointer by Dillon, SMSU answered back with a 3-pointer by Majouk and a layup by Phipps to extend the lead to 24-17 with five minutes left in the half.
Cliff McCray would later score on a layup to give SMSU a 26-19 advantage with just under four minutes remaining before the Mustangs settled on a 28-23 halftime lead.
The game would remain close with 14 minutes left in the second half before SMSU used a big run to pull away. Leading 34-32, McCray started a 9-0 run capped off by a Majouk 3-pointer with 11:46 on the clock to give the Mustangs a 43-32 lead.
SMSU would hold WSU scoreless for more than four and a half minutes in building the double-digit advantage.
Following a field goal by the Warriors to stop the Mustang run, Costello answered with a layup and a 3-pointer to push the margin to 48-34 at the 8:38 mark.
Braaten would hit his lone 3-point attempt of the game with 4:48 remaining to give SMSU a 53-38 lead before WSU rallied with five straight points to cut the deficit to 53-44. Braaten would stop the mini-run with two free throws and was followed up by a Phipps jumper with two minutes left to seal the victory.
SMSU continues the road trip on Saturday with a 5:30 p.m. match-up at Upper Iowa (6-4, 3-1 NSIC).
