MARSHALL, Minn. – With 28 points and 16 rebounds, Audrey Swanson led the way for the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs (10-7, 8-4 NSIC) over the UMary Marauders (15-6, 8-4 NSIC) by a score of 89-75.
 
Swanson shot 8-12 on field goals and 2-2 from beyond the arc while putting up 10-11 from the charity stripe. The 16 rebounds is a season-high for Swanson and is one away from her career-high 17 rebounds against St. Cloud State set last season. Nicole Maenke scored 21 points, her 15^th game of double-digit points, going a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line. Natalie Nielsen had her sixth double double of her campaign with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
 
SMSU shot 52 percent from the field as a team (29-56), shooting a season-high 63 percent from deep (7-11), and shooting 24-26 from the charity stripe. The 24 makes are the most in a game for the Mustangs this season. SMSU outrebounded UMary 36-22, while the Marauders shot 47 percent on the game (27-57) and 33 percent from downtown (6-18). Allison Undlin led the way for the Marauders with 22 points on 9-12 shooting. Bergen Kinnebrew had 17 points and went 5-6 from the free throw line.
 
Swanson started the game off hot, scoring 12 of the Mustangs opening 21 points in the first quarter, shooting 5-6 from the field in that span. SMSU made a pair of 3-point shots, while the Marauders failed to connect on one of their three attempts, giving the Mustangs a 21-12 lead after the opening 10 minutes.
 
The second quarter again favored the Mustangs, with Swanson scoring another seven points, ending the first half with 19 and 10 rebounds. SMSU shot 50 percent from the field in the second quarter (7-14, 3-6 from 3-pointers) and made all seven attempts at the free throw line. By the end of the first half, UMary had not made a 3-pointer (0-8) and shooting 33 percent from the floor, giving the Mustangs a 42-26 advantage at the half.
 
The Marauders began the second half with an 11-4 swing, shooting 5-7 from the field as compared to SMSU's 2-7. Allison Undlin scored six of those points, shooting 3-4 from the floor in the opening five minutes of the second half. SMSU went even with UMary for the rest of the third quarter, and while the Marauders shot 64 percent from the floor in the third, the Mustangs held a 57-48 lead entering the final 10 minutes.
 
In a high scoring fourth quarter, in which both teams shot above 50 precent, the Mustangs were the more efficient squad, starting the fourth quarter shooting 7-8 from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line. By the end of the quarter, the Mustangs had shot 83 percent from the field (10-12) with Natalie Nielsen making the only 3-pointer for SMSU. The Mustangs shot 11-11 from the charity stripe, earning the win 89-75.
 
SMSU is back in the R/A Facility next weekend, hosting Minnesota State Moorhead on Friday, Jan. 23 at 5:30 p.m., and Minnesota Crookston the following night for 'Tropical Night' at 5 p.m. Both games will be streamed on the NSIC Network. Tickets and more information can be found at smsumustangs.com/sports/womens-basketball.