DENTON, Texas – Natalie Nielsen hit two free throws with 0.1 remaining in regulation to lift No. 18 Southwest Minnesota State to a thrilling 63-62 victory over No. 22 University of Tampa in day two of the Division II Conference Commissioners Association Tip-Off Classic played inside Magee Arena on the campus of Texas Woman's University.
 
A 3-pointer by SMSU's Nicole Maenke with 22 seconds left gave the Mustangs a 61-59 advantage, but the Spartans' Amy Thompson answered with a go-ahead 3-pointer with eight seconds remaining to give UT a 62-61 lead. Following a timeout and two fouls by Tampa, Nielsen attempted the game-winning field goal, but drew a foul with less than a second left. Nielsen promptly made her only two free attempts of the game to give the Mustangs their first win of the season following a three-point loss to Alabama-Huntsville on Friday afternoon.
 
Kylan Gerads led the Mustangs with a game-high 20 points on 7 of 11 shooting with four 3-pointers. Maenke added 16 points with four 3-pointers, while Audrey Swanson recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Nielsen also finished in double figure scoring with 10 points and nine rebounds.
 
Swanson was the lone Mustang player named to the all-tournament team.
 
SMSU finished the game shooting 34 percent (22 of 64) from the field, while making 13 of 41 from 3-point range. SMSU, which held a 39-31 rebound advantage, including grabbing 16 offensive rebounds to UT's three offensive rebounds, made 6 of 12 from the free throw line.
 
Tampa, which lost a three-point game to Harding (Ark.) on Friday, shot 52 percent (25 of 48) from the field but made only four 3-pointers on 10 attempts. Tampa won 22 games a season ago and advanced to the NCAA tournament.
 
SMSU closed the game with eight turnovers, while UT ended the contest with 10 turnovers.
 
The Mustangs started the game red-shot connecting on four 3-pointers in the opening four-plus minutes to take an early 12-4 advantage. SMSU made five 3-pointers in the opening quarter to build a 19-14 lead after 10 minutes.
 
SMSU maintained the lead in the second quarter, including pushing the lead to 36-29 with 2:33 left following a Brynn Busse 3-pointer. UT answered with an 8-2 run to pull within 38-37 at the halftime break.
 
SMSU extended the lead to 45-37 early in the second half behind a Gerads layup, a Swanson 3-pointer and another Gerads field goal with 8:42 left.
 
Leading 51-50 after three quarters, SMSU added to the lead with 7:35 left as Gerads drilled a 3-pointer to make the score 57-52. UT would not go away and used a 6-0 run to take its first lead of the game since scoring the first two points of the game.
 
Trailing 58-57, Gerads hit one of two free throws with 3:09 remaining to tie the game before UT's Ryan Franklin made a free throw to put the Spartans back in front with just under two minutes remaining.
 
SMSU missed three shots on its next possession before UT was able to grab a defensive rebound. SMSU earned a big defensive stop with 45 seconds remaining to set up Maenke's 3-pointer that briefly gave the Mustangs the lead back before the crazy final 10 seconds.
 
SMSU returns to action next weekend with two games at the MIAA/NSIC Challenge in Edmond, Okla., hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma. SMSU opens play on Friday night with a 7 p.m. match up versus UCO, before taking on Washburn (Kan.) on Saturday at 1 p.m.