MARSHALL, Minn. – In a game filled with season-highs, the Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (9-7, 7-4 NSIC) defeated the Minot State Beavers (7-11, 3-8 NSIC) 92-73. The 92 points is a season-high for the Mustangs.
Kylan Gerads led the way for SMSU, scoring 21 points on 9-13 shooting, her second straight game of 20+ points.
Natalie Nielsen added 17 points and six rebounds.
Brynn Busse scored a career-high 14 points, shooting a perfect 4-4 from 3-point shots.
Nicole Maenke and
Audrey Swanson scored 12 points each, with Swanson grabbing eight boards, and Maenke dishing out a career-high eight assists.
The Mustangs shot a season-high 57 percent from the field (36-63) and a season-high 52 percent from downtown (12-23), and going 8-14 from the free throw line. SMSU outrebounded MSU 37-25, with each team committing 11 turnovers. Minot State, led in scoring by Taryn Hamling with 20 and Maya Aguilar with 19, shot 46 percent from the field (28-60) and from 3-point range (7-15).
The Beavers started the game strong, shooting 50 percent from the field and making both 3-point attempts. The Mustangs shot 1-4 from downtown, and were led in scoring by
Audrey Swanson and
Kylan Gerads with four each. Taryn Hamling scored 11 of her 20 points in the opening 10 minutes.
The Mustangs exploded in the second quarter, scoring 32 points and shooting 69 percent in the period (11-16), while shooting an incredible 7-9 from downtown. Busse, Gerads, and Swanson each made a pair of 3-pointers, with
Nicole Maenke providing four assists in the quarter. Entering the second half, the Mustangs held a 49-39 lead in the game.
SMSU extended their lead in the third quarter, once again shooting a high percentage, shooting 76 percent from the field (10-13). The Mustangs shortly after the start of the quarter went on an 11-2 run with baskets by five different Mustangs. By the end of the period, five Mustangs were in double figures for scoring, with
Natalie Nielsen leading the way with 15 points.
The Mustangs capped off the stellar night shooting in the fourth quarter, adding 19 points to their score, and denying the Beavers comeback attempt with strong perimeter defense. Minot State shot just 1-4 from 3-point range in the final 10 minutes, leaving the final score at 92-73.
SMSU is back in the R/A Facility Saturday night, facing UMary at 7 p.m. The game will be streaming live on the NSIC Network. Tickets and more information can be found at smsumustangs.com/sports/womens-basketball.
