MARSHALL, Minn. – True freshman
Aeron Stevens posted a career-high 26 points with 10 rebounds–his first career double-double–in leading the SMSU men's basketball team to victory over UMary 83-51 in NSIC men's basketball on Friday night inside the R/A Facility.
SMSU, which has won back-to-back games, is now 11-8 on the season and 8-5 in NSIC play. UMary drops to 6-13 on the year, and 1-12 in the NSIC.
Four Mustangs scored in double-figures, with
Jake Phipps adding 16 points on 7 of 10 shooting and pulling down eight rebounds.
Mason Lund scored 13 points on 6 of 10 shooting while pulling down seven rebounds, while
Mekhi Shaw added 11 points on 100 percent shooting with five makes at the foul line.
The Mustangs finished the night shooting 52 percent (30 of 58) from the field with four makes from deep. UMary closed the game shooting 32 percent (17 of 53) from the field with eight 3-pointers.
SMSU opened the game hot, scoring the first eight points of the contest in just under three minutes. The Mustangs continued to put the pressure on leading into the first media timeout. After the media,
Mekhi Shaw nailed a jumper to increase the Mustangs' lead to seven points.
The Marauders sparked a 15-9 run in opposition making 5 of 9 field goals to decrease the lead to just four points with a little under six minutes to go in the first frame. Five different Mustangs added points in the dwindling minutes of the first half to enter the final 20 minutes up 36-28.
SMSU made 6 of 8 field goals while holding UMary scoreless through the first four and a half minutes in building a 14-0 run to start the second half. After the first media timeout, SMSU continued to apply pressure, sparking another 17-6 run backed by
Jake Phipps and
Aeron Stevens scores to push the lead to 30 points with 9:03 remaining in the game.
UMary tried to make a push in the closing minutes of the game, but it was too little too late, as SMSU built too big of a lead to overcome.
SMSU shot 59 percent (16 of 27) in the second half with four makes from 3-point land.
The Mustangs host Northern State tomorrow for Tropical Night inside the R/A Facility, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m.
