MARSHALL, Minn. – Jakob Braaten hit the game-winning field goal with 2.7 seconds remaining to give Southwest Minnesota State a thrilling 71-69 victory over MSU Moorhead in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball on Friday night.
 
In a second half that featured nine lead changes and four ties, it was SMSU that came through with the clutch field goal to earn its fifth straight victory and improve to 13-5 overall and remain tied atop the NSIC at 11-2.
 
Braaten scored a game-high 22 points on 10 of 14 shooting with five assists and three rebounds. Mason Lund was a perfect 6 of 6 from the field with three 3-pointers to close with 15 points. Aeron Stevens and Micah Schlaak chipped in with nine points each, while Landon Pokorski and Calvin Buss both finished with six points. Lund tipped a pass in the final seconds to seal the victory as MSUM attempted a final shot to tie or win the game.
 
SMSU's Mekhi Shaw dished out a game-high six assists while adding three steals, including a critical steal in the final 30 seconds.
 
MSU, which entered the game tied for first in the NSIC North Division, falls to 10-9 overall, 7-6 NSIC. Isa El-Amin led the Dragons with 15 points, all in the second half, making five of six 3-pointers in the second half. His 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining tied the game at 69 before Braaten's game-winner.
 
SMSU finished the game shooting 56 percent (29 of 52) from the field with six 3-pointers on 18 attempts. MSUM shot 42 percent (27 of 64) while making 14 of 33 from 3-point land.
 
MSUM held a 37-27 rebound advantage with 16 offensive rebounds which led to a 28-10 scoring advantage in second chance points.
 
Aeron Stevens hit a jumper to give SMSU a 10-9 advantage for its first lead of the game but MSUM answered with five straight points and held the lead for more than 17 minutes in the first 20 minutes. The Dragons took its largest lead of the half at 26-17 with nine minutes left.
 
SMSU trailed 34-28 with 1:50 remaining before Micah Schlaak connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game at 34 heading into halftime.
 
Pokorski opened the second half with a field goal to give SMSU it's first lead since 10-9. MSUM would hold a 42-41 lead before SMSU used a 7-0 run capped by a Lund layup to build a 48-42 advantage with 13:34 left in the game. Braaten later drilled a 3-pointer to give the Mustangs their largest lead of the game at 53-46 with 10:58 remaining.
 
MSUM would not go away and regained the lead twice in the final six-plus minutes, including 63-62 with just over four minutes left after Sam Hondl hit a 3-pointer for the Dragons. SMSU would go back in front at 64-63 with Braaten scoring on a layup with 2:58 remaining. Schlaak added a free throw while Braaten hit another field goal to extend the lead to 67-63 with 1:28 left on the clock.
 
Hondl hit another big 3-pointer 1:09 remaining to make it a one-point game before Braaten came through again with a field goal to push the margin to 69-66 with 49 seconds remaining.
 
Following a steal by Shaw on the ensuing MSUM possession, SMSU missed the front end of a 1-and-1 to give the Dragons another chance. El-Amin would answer with a corner 3-pointer to tie the game before Braaten countered with the game-winner.
 
SMSU concludes the four-game homestand on Saturday taking on Minnesota Crookston for the annual 'Tropical Night' game starting at 7 p.m. UMC earned a big road win over Sioux Falls on Friday night.