SMSU Athletics

MARSHALL, Minn.--The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team closed out the NSIC/MIAA Challenge on Saturday evening with a loss to the University of Nebraska-Kearney by a score of 76-68.

The Mustangs finish the weekend 0-2 overall, remaining 0-0 in the NSIC. The Lopers move to 2-0 overall, 0-0 in the MIAA.

SMSU closed the game shooting 28 percent (21-75) from the field, including 10-42 from three, in comparison to 52.7 percent (29-55) shot by UNK, including 5 of 14 on 3-point makes. The Mustangs biggest lead of the night was three points with 9:41 remaining in the first half. UNK held a lead as large as 14 points with 6:22 remaining in the game. The game saw just two lead changes with the Lopers leading for 36:31 of the game. 

UNK out-rebounded SMSU by 15 rebounds (51-36) in the game and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, which created 18 second chance points. The Lopers dominated the paint this  evening, scoring 44 of their 76 points in the lane.

At the line, the Mustangs went 16-21 (76.2 percent), while the Lopers shot 59.1 percent from the stripe (13-22). 

Bri Stoltzman led the Mustangs offense tonight with 16 points on 4-14 shooting, including a perfect 7 of 7 from the free throw line. Stoltzman led SMSU in rebounds with eight. Peyton Blandin scored 12 points in the affair on 4 of 14 shooting, adding three rebounds and team-second three steals. Kenzie Jones posted a career-high 12 points on 4 of 15 shooting (26.7 percent), including three makes from deep, adding five rebounds and dishing three assists. Hannah Parsley led the Mustangs defense with a career-high five steals, the most in the game by a player. Parsley rounded out the SMSU double-digit scorers, delivering 10 points off the bench on 4 of 8 shooting, and pulled down five rebounds.

UNK led the Mustangs 62-56 at the end of the third quarter and dominated the first three minutes of the fourth period with a 10-2 run backed by Shiloh McCool. The Lopers would allow a SMSU 9-point run from 4:48 to 2:44, but would eventually force the Mustangs to foul with 50 seconds remaining. 

The UNK offense was anchored by Shiloh McCool. McCool shot 10 of 18 from the field tallying 23 points in the win. McCool had the touch off the glass with 18 rebounds, recording a double-double, and adding three assists.

UP NEXT 

The Mustangs head East on Thursday, Nov. 16, visiting Michigan Tech with tip-off at 4:30 p.m.

SMSU rounds out its trip to Michigan with a game against the University of Northern Michigan the following day, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m.