ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State men's basketball team rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to earn a dramatic 63-60 victory over St. Cloud State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference basketball on Saturday afternoon inside Halenbeck Hall.
 
The game featured two of the hottest teams in the league with SMSU, ranked No. 10/15 nationally, earning its eighth straight victory to improve to 17-3 overall and remain in sole possession of first place in the conference at 12-2. The overall record ties the 2016-17 team for the best record after 20 games in team history.
 
SCSU, which entered the game having won eight of its last 10 games, drops to 13-9 overall, 9-5 NSIC.
 
SMSU's Steven Kramer hit two free throws with 38.6 seconds remaining to give the Mustangs a 61-60 advantage. SMSU missed the front end of a one-and-one with 19 seconds left to give SCSU another chance to regain the lead, but the Huskies missed the front end of a one-and-one with 3.9 seconds with the Mustangs securing the rebound. The Mustangs' Jakob Braaten hit two free throws with 2.8 remaining to push the lead to three points before the Huskies' last-second 3-pointer missed short to complete the comeback.
 
SMSU earned the victory despite committing a season-high 17 turnovers. The Mustangs were outstanding on defense in the final 20 minutes, limiting the Huskies to 6 of 23 shooting and 22 total points.
 
Braaten, one of four Mustangs in double figures, scored a game-high 18 points with five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Aeron Stevens made 6 of 9 field goals with three 3-pointers to score 15 points, while Kramer (12) and Mason Lund (10) rounded out the double figure scorers. Lund led the Mustangs with seven rebounds.
 
SMSU finished the game shooting 50 percent (24 of 48) while making 6 of 16 from 3-point range. SCSU closed the day shooting 36 percent (19 of 53).
 
Nate Dahl and Lucas Morgan each scored 14 points for the Huskies.
 
SCSU built an early 8-2 lead before SMSU rallied to take its first lead of the game following made jumpers from Braaten and Stevens and a 3-poitner by Stevens to give the Mustangs a 14-10 advantage with 14:30 remaining.
 
SCSU answered with an 11-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to take a seven-point lead before Stevens stopped the run with back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the deficit to 21-20 midway through the half.
 
SMSU would go back in front, 24-23, following a Braaten lay-up and two free throws, but SCSU countered with eight straight points and closed the half on a 15-6 run in the final seven and a half minutes to build a 38-30 halftime lead.
 
SMSU committed 10 turnovers in the opening half leading to an 11-3 advantage for SCSU in points off turnovers.
 
Stevens (11) and Braaten (10) combined to score 21 of the Mustangs' 30 points on 8 of 12 shooting in the first half.
 
SCSU started the second half strong pushing the margin to 47-34 with 15:20 left in the game. The Huskies would expand the lead to a game-high 51-36 with 12 minutes remaining following a technical foul called on the Mustang bench.
 
Following the technical, the Mustang comeback was one as Stevens scored a layup to spark an 11-0 run to pull SMSU to within 51-47 with 6:20 left in the game. SCSU would maintain the lead and used a turnover and a dunk with just over two minutes remaining to build a 60-54 lead. SMSU would answer with a Mekhi Shaw three-point play with 2:04 left and two free throws by Lund to pull to within 60-59 with 1:36 remaining.
 
The Mustangs would continue to use strong defense to get keep the one-point deficit and setting up possession with Kramer hitting the go-ahead free throws.    
 
SMSU returns home for mid-week game on Thursday night facing Augustana University with tip-off slated for 5:30 p.m. inside the R/A Facility.