BISMARCK, N.D - Bri Stoltzman and Audrey Swanson combined for 55 points to boost the Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team to its 17th consecutive win with an 86-77 victory over the University of Mary Marauders in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action on Friday evening inside the McDowell Activity Center. 

The Mustangs will play for the NSIC regular season title tomorrow at Northern State.

SMSU (25-2, 19-2 NSIC) finished the day shooting 29 of 66 (44 percent) from the field including 42 percent (10 of 24) from downtown.  

UMary, which drops to 14-11 on the year and 11-10 in conference play, closed the game shooting 37 percent (28 of 76) from the field including 6 of 23 (26 percent) from beyond the arc. 

Bri Stoltzman led the SMSU offense with 28 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and a pair of steals. Audrey Swanson recorded a career-high 27 points while picking up nine rebounds and a team-high three steals. Natalie Nielsen grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds and added nine points offensively along with Nicole Maenke, who also scored nine points.

Bergen Kinnebrew led UMary with 20 points and six rebounds while Eden Fridley and Emily Jaenke each scored in double figures in the loss. 

The teams opened the game by trading baskets leading to three tie scores in the first four minutes until SMSU finally pulled away to secure an 18-13 lead at the first media timeout. The next 14 points would again be evenly traded, leading to a 25-20 advantage for the Mustangs after 10 minutes of play. Stoltzman and Swanson combined for 19 of SMSU's points in the first frame.

UMary's Emily Jaenke caught fire in the opening two minutes of the second quarter, scoring all 11 of the Marauders' points of an 11-2 run to give UMary a 31-27 lead with 8:10 to play in the half. The Marauders built on the lead over the next six minutes, climbing to an eventual 10-point advantage with 2:09 left in the half before back-to-back baskets for SMSU settled the score at 48-41 heading into halftime.

The Mustangs limited UMary to one basket over the opening four minutes of the second half in building a 13-2 run that gave SMSU its first lead since 9:05 in the second quarter. The Marauders used a layup, a pair of free throws, and a 3-pointer to even the game at 57-57 before SMSU again pulled away to lead by six with just over three minutes to play in the quarter. The Mustangs held the six-point lead heading into the final frame.

UMary used a 3-pointer and jumper to bring the game within one possession, but the Mustangs would not go away. They held the Marauders to 4 of 13 shooting over the final six minutes of the game. 

The Mustangs limited UMary to 30 percent (10 of 33) shooting in the second half to pull away with the win.

SMSU concludes the regular season tomorrow, playing for a shot at the NSIC regular season title against Northern State, with tip-off set for 6 p.m.