/usr/web/www.marshallindependent.com/wp-content/themes/coreV2/single.php
×

SMSU MEN’S BASKETBALL: Mustangs beat USF, 79-68

Photo by Sam Thiel SMSU’s Ryan Bruggeman drives past a pair of USF defenders. Bruggeman scored a team-high 34 points for the Mustangs in their 79-68 victory over USF.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The University of Sioux Falls men’s basketball team held the majority of the Southwest Minnesota University Mustangs in check during their quarterfinal game on Sunday. There was one member of the Mustangs the Cougars didn’t account for: Ryan Bruggeman.

The senior point guard had a strong night on the offensive end, as he recorded a career-high 34 points and helped steer the Mustangs into the next round of the NSIC Tournament.

“He was pretty special tonight,” said SMSU coach Brad Bigler. “He wasn’t flashy, he just kept it simple and grinded out some drives and finish and make some free throws.”

The first half was tight to start, as the Mustangs held a 15-14 lead in the opening minutes. SMSU then answered the tight scoring with an 11-5 run to build a seven-point lead at 26-19 midway through the first half.

The Mustangs would reach their first double-digit lead at 10, 31-21, with 8:15 left before reaching their biggest lead of the first half at 13 when Joey Bartlett connected on a 3-pointer with six minutes left.

SMSU would hold a double-digit lead for the majority of the half, but unfortunately for the Mustangs, their offense would go cold and the Cougars’ offense heated up.

USF went on an 8-0 run to end the half and held the Mustangs to no field goals over the final 5:54 of the half, but SMSU held a 38-33 lead heading into the locker rooms.

Bigler said after Bruggeman picked up his second foul, he wanted to stay a little conservative and take him out of the game.

“I got a little conservative, and what happened was a little bit on me,” said Bigler. “We were making some playcalls that were ending up being late shot clock situations and during that time, it ended up being a lot of one-on-ones. We didn’t win those one-on-ones.”

Just like the start of the game, the opening stages of the second half were tight as SMSU would hold a 40-35 lead. But once again the Mustangs kicked it into high gear on the offensive end, going on a run to go up 11 at 48-35 with 15 minutes to go.

The Cougars wouldn’t go away, however, as USF went on a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to single digits. SMSU would extend its lead back to double digits, but USF used another spurt to bring the game back to single digits with nine minutes to go.

SMSU would reclaim a double-digit lead at 12 points, 67-55, and later reached its biggest lead of the night at 71-58 with two minutes remaining.

The Cougars would stick around, though, as USF’s Mack Johnson connected on a 3-pointer to bring it back to 10 points at 71-61. The Cougar defense would cause panic for the Mustangs on the next few possessions, as SMSU turned the ball over to allow USF back into the game.

SMSU regained its composure down the stretch, as Bruggeman went to the free-throw line three times and hit all six attempts from the charitystripe to hold off the Cougars.

Bruggeman said their key down the stretch was their ability to defend the perimeter and force the Cougars to take tough shots.

“I think we really locked down on defense. We knew that they were going to shoot some threes to get back into the game so we had to defend the 3-point line well.”

The Mustangs defense was stifling all game, as SMSU held USF to 36.9 percent shooting on the game, including a 34.8 percentage mark from distance.

Bruggeman is the first SMSU player to score 30 points in a game since Jared Keaveny in the 2004 season. The floor general also grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists. He also hit 13 of 14 free throws. Adding to SMSU’s effort was Bartlett (11 points), Turner Moen (10 points) and Carter Kirk (10 points).

SMSU (24-5) will face either Augustana or Northern State in the NSIC Semifinals today at 8 p.m. in Sioux Falls.

“Each team has their own strength, so we have to adjust to their strengths,” said Bigler. “I think at this time of the year the big thing is you can’t have silly turnovers, finish possessions with rebounds and defend the 3-point line. Both of these teams can take a lot of threes and make them.”

USF 33 35 – 68

SMSU 38 41 – 79

SCORING: SMSU: 27-53, 50.9 percent (Bruggeman 10-15 13-14 34; Bartlett 4-7 1-3 11; Moen 5-6 0-1 10; Kirk 3-7 4-5 10; Davis 2-6 2-2 6; Lee 1-2 0-0 3; Schafer 1-6 1-3 3; Weg 1-2 0-0 2).

3-POINTERS: SMSU: 4-14, 28.6 percent (Bartlett 2; Bruggeman, Lee 1).

REBOUNDS: SMSU 36 (Kirk, Bartlett 7; Bruggeman 6; Moen, Weg 4; Three with 1).

ASSISTS: SMSU 8 (Bruggeman 4; Moen 2; Davis, Bartlett 1).

STEALS: SMSU 4 (Davis, Moen 2).

BLOCKS: SMSU 5 (Bartlett 3; Bruggeman, Kirk 1).

FOULS: SMSU 15.

TURNOVERS: SMSU 10.

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today