MARSHALL, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State earned its second straight victory on Thursday night holding off Sioux Falls, 80-74, in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball inside the R/A Facility.
 
SMSU improves to 6-4 overall, 3-3 NSIC, while USF drops to 4-7 overall, 2-4 NSIC.
 
Aeron Stevens came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points for the Mustangs, while Jake Phipps (16), Cliff Cofield (11) and Dunwa Omot (11) all helped in the victory scoring in double figures. Mason Lund led the Mustangs with seven rebounds, while Mekhi Shas scored nine points with five rebounds and three steals.
 
SMSU shot 52 percent (26 of 50) from the field, including 7 of 18 from 3-point range. USF closed the game shooting 41 percent (26 of 64) with eight 3-pointers in 26 attempts.
 
SMSU, which led 32-31 at halftime, built a 16-point lead, 65-49 with just under seven minutes left in the game, but USF rallied to cut the deficit to 73-70 with 58 seconds left in the game. SMSU however iced the game making seven of eight free throws in the final 44 seconds to earn the victory.
 
USF jumped out to an early 8-2 advantage in the first three minutes of the game before SMSU used a big run to build a double-digit lead. Phipps started the run with a 3-pointer and was followed by a 3-pointer by Dunwa Omot to tie the game. Phipps hit a jumper to put the Mustangs in the lead and moments later drilled another 3-pointer to help the Mustangs put together a 22-4 run to build a 24-12 advantage with nine minutes left in the half.
 
SMSU would later hold a 30-22 lead at the 3:21 mark following a layup by Kyle Luedtke, but USF answered with an 8-0 run to tie the game with 1:30 left in the half. Aeron Stevens answered with two free throws to help the Mustangs take a 32-31 advantage into the halftime break.
 
The Mustangs used an 11-3 spurt to open the second half, making five of six field goals to build a 43-34 lead.
 
The advantage would grow to 14 points near the midway mark of the second half as Omot scored eight straight points to help SMSU build a 55-41 lead. SMSU would continue to expand the lead with Stevens hitting a pair of free throws before Shaw hit a jumper to give the Mustangs a 65-49 advantage with 7:49 remaining.
 
USF answered with a 12-2 run in less than three minutes to cut the deficit to 67-61 with four minutes left. The Cougars would later make the score 68-64, but Shaw drilled a 3-pointer to stop a short run and give the Mustangs a 71-64 with three minutes left.
 
Jack Thompson led the Cougars with 18 points and five assists.
 
SMSU continues NSIC play on Saturday with a road match-up versus Augustana. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.