MARSHALL, Minn. – Four seniors on the Southwest Minnesota State women's basketball team (15-11, 13-8 NSIC) earned a win in their final regular season contest in the R/A Facility on Thursday night, defeating the Augustana Vikings (9-18 6-15 NSIC) 74-71.
Audrey Swanson once again led the way for SMSU dropping 24 points, shooting 4 of 6 from downtown, and earning her sixth double double of the season with 11 rebounds, also leading the team.
Kylan Gerads scored 20 points on 7 of 13 shooting. Senior
Kennadi Buchholz in her first start of the season scored eight point and snagged five boards. Senior
Maddie Thorfinnson scored six points on 2 of 5 from beyond the arc.
As a team the Mustangs shot 38 percent from the floor (23 of 60), 36 percent from deep (9 of 25) and 86 percent from the charity stripe (19 of 22). The Mustangs were outrebounded by the Vikings 37-33 and AU won the turnover battle 16-10. Augustana was led by Isabella Sanneh with 24 points and 11 rebounds and shot 53 percent from the floor (28 of 53).
The 3-point shot was vital for the Mustangs throughout this game, beginning in the first quarter, making three of seven from behind the line, while the Vikings could not connect on its two attempts. Despite shooting 60 percent from the field as compared to SMSU's 41 percent, the Mustangs still held a 19-12 lead heading to the second quarter behind six points from Swanson and Gerads.
Augustana would continue the effective shooting into the second quarter, shooting 56 percent from the field, however again the Mustangs made two 3-pointers while AU did not make one of their three attempts. SMSU was the more effective team from the free throw line as well, making 7 of 8 as compared to AU's 5 of 9. The Mustangs took a three-point lead into the halftime break 38-35 behind Swanson's 12 points.
Augustana kept the game close into the third quarter, shooting 45 percent, while the Mustangs shot 43. With the game at 49-47 with four minutes to play, the Mustangs ended the third on an 11-3 run, making the score 60-50 entering the final quarter. Gerads and Swanson scored seven points each.
The Vikings did their best to keep the game close, shooting 50 percent from the floor and making 2 of 3 from behind the 3-point line. Augustana kept the game to within a one-possession contest, but down three the Mustangs prevented AU from attempting a 3-pointer, leading to a late layup attempt that fell short, and gave the Mustangs the 74-71 victory.
The Mustangs are in Wayne, Neb., on Saturday afternoon for the final regular season contest at 1 p.m. The game will be streaming live on the NSIC Network.
