MINOT, N.D. – Southwest Minnesota State University connected on a season-high 16 3-pointers with the Mustangs' Dunwa Omot scoring a career-high 28 points to pace SMSU to an 89-75 victory over Minot State in first round of the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament inside the MSU Dome on Wednesday night.
 
SMSU, the No. 5 seed from the NSIC South, now takes on No. 1S Augustana in the tournament quarterfinals on Saturday afternoon starting at 1:30 inside the Sanford Pentagon.
 
SMSU (15-11) made 16 of 31 3-pointers and finished the game shooting 56 percent (31 of 55) from the field. The Mustangs held a 31-22 rebound advantage, committed just nine turnovers and led the game for 37-plus minutes.
 
Omot closed the game making 10 of 12 field goals and made a career-high six 3-pointers. Kenny Byers also had a big game with 19 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Cliff McCray and Anthony Costello each scored 11 points, while Jake Phipps added eight and Logan Benson chipped in with seven points.
 
MSU, which ends its season 15-10 overall, was led by Max Cody's 23 points on 10 of 18 shooting. The Beavers' leading scorer and rebounder, Melvin Newbern, was limited to two points and four rebounds in 24 minutes before fouling out.
 
The Beavers shot 53 percent (30 of 57) from the field and made 10 3-pointers.
 
SMSU started the game strong connecting on seven 3-pointers in the opening 12-plus minutes, including three straight by Byers, Phipps and Omot to build a 27-18 lead. Costello would later drill a pair of 3-pointers to give the Mustangs their largest lead of the half at 33-22 with 5:17 remaining.
 
MSU would counter with an 8-0 run to trim the deficit to 33-30, but Byers would stop the run with a jumper and would later make two more field goals to help the Mustangs build a 42-38 halftime advantage.
 
SMSU's 10 3-pointers in the first half was the first time since Nov. 10, 2018, the team has made 10 or more 3-pointers in one half.
 
SMSU stormed out of the gate to begin the second half with a 13-2 run, including three 3-pointers, to build a 55-40 lead with 16:30 remaining. Omot would make two 3-pointers, while Costello made one during the opening three-plus minute run.
 
MSU answered with six points, but SMSU responded with seven straight points to take a 62-46 lead with 12:12 left after a steal and fast-break dunk by McCray.
 
The Beavers trimmed the deficit to 66-56 midway through the half, but SMSU came right back as Benson scored on a layup and Omot followed with five straight points to extend the lead to 73-56 with seven minutes left.
 
Cody would keep making shots and cut the SMSU lead to 75-62 at the 4:38 mark, but the Mustangs put the game away with a Byers dunk and a Grant Kramer 3-pointer to seal the program's third NSIC Tournament road win in 11 games.
 
SMSU and Augustana will be meeting for the third time this season with the Vikings winning 103-74 in Marshall on Dec. 4 and earning a 74-62 win last Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D.