MARSHALL, Minn. – The Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (7-6, 5-3 NSIC) starts the 2026 calendar year by defeating the Sioux Falls Cougars (8-5, 5-3 NSIC) 87-79.
 
Natalie Nielsen led the Mustangs scoring a season-high 26 points on 8-15 shooting, grabbing 10 rebounds for her fifth double double of the season. Nielsen was one of three Mustangs to put up 20+ points, with Audrey Swanson scoring 24 points and leading the team in rebounds with 11, and Nicole Maenke adding 21 points on 8-12 shooting. Elizabeth Wagner scored a season-high eight points on 4-4 shooting.
 
As a team the Mustangs shot 48 percent from the floor (33-68), 41 percent from 3-point range (9-22), and 86 percent from the free throw line (12-14), all while outrebounding the Cougars 41-30. USF, led by Krista Langager with a career high 30 points, shot 52 percent from the floor (34-66), 60 percent from 3-pointers (6-10) and 50 percent from the charity stripe (5-10).
 
SMSU opened the first 10 minutes with an early advantage on the boards, outrebounding the Cougars 11-9 and grabbing four offensive boards as compared to USF's one. Audrey Swanson scored 10 of her 24 points in the first quarter, including making both her 3-point attempts, and the Mustangs closed the first quarter on top 24-17.
 
The Mustangs extended their hot start into the second quarter, starting on a 19-8 run in the opening 5:30 in the quarter, and shooting 8-10 from the field and 3-5 from downtown. SMSU held a 43-25 lead with less than five minutes to play in the half in what would be the largest lead of the game. Nielsen, Swanson, and Maenke all had double digit points by the half, and the team was shooting 54 percent from the floor, and led 49-33 at halftime.
 
The Cougars held their own starting in the third quarter, holding the Mustangs to shooting 37 percent from the floor in the opening 5:23 of the second half. USF ended the third quarter shooting 48 percent from the floor, and 3-4 from 3-point range, closing the Mustang lead to 11 points at 67-56.
 
Both teams began the fourth quarter with effective shooting, with the Mustangs shooting 55 percent, and the Cougars shooting 75 percent in the opening 5:30 of the fourth quarter. Natalie Nielsen scored four of the final seven points for the Mustangs, and ending the contest 87-79 in favor of SMSU.
 
The Mustangs are on the road next weekend, facing Bemidji State on Friday, Jan. 9 at 7:30, and Minnesota Duluth on the following Saturday at 5:30 p.m. Both matches are available to stream on the NSIC Network, and more information can be found at smsumustangs.com/sports/womens-basketball.