MANKATO – In a battle of the top two teams in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference South Division standings, Minnesota State used a late rally to earn a thrilling 72-70 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in NSIC men’s basketball on Saturday night.

MSU held a half-game lead over SMSU in the standings entering the game and now improves to 15-4 overall, 11-2 NSIC. SMSU had its four-game winning streak snapped and drops to 14-6 overall, 10-4 NSIC.

Carter Kirk put SMSU in the lead at 65-64 with 2:40 left in the game, but MSU answered with four straight points to build a 68-65 advantage. Following two free throws by Ryan Bruggeman to cut the deficit to 68-67 with 1:19 left, MSU scored three straight to hold a 71-67 lead. Nick Dufault, who scored 14 points for SMSU, drilled a 3-pointer with 38 seconds remaining to trim the MSU lead to 71-70.

MSU hit one free throw and then missed a field goal attempt with nine seconds left giving SMSU one more chance to tie or win the game. Dufault drove the basked but had his passed knocked out of bound with one second left. Michael Lee’s in-bound pass was knocked away and the clock ran out as MSU earned the win.

Bruggeman paced the Mustangs with 21 points, on 7 of 22 shooting, with six assists and three steals. It was eighth 20-point scoring game of the season. Kirk added 16 points and 12 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season, while Dufault was the only other Mustang to reach double figure scoring, making 5 of 9 shots, including four from 3-point land.

SMSU shot 42 percent (27 of 64) in the contest, including 7 of 20 from 3-point range. The Mustangs also were a perfect 9 of 9 from the free throw line.

Chris Kendrix led the Mavericks with 20 points, while Charlie Brown added 19 points with 17 coming in the second half.

MSU shot 38 percent (23 of 60) from the field and made just 7 of 24 from 3-point range, but finished the game making 19 of 24 free throws.

SMSU scored the first five points of the game, but MSU rallied with a 14-2 run, connecting on six of seven shots, to build its biggest lead of the half at 14-7 with 15 minutes remaining.

Dufault ended the run with a 3-pointer and was followed by a layup by Kenny Byers to cut the deficit to 14-12. Byers would later spark a four-point spurt with a layup, followed up by a dunk by Kirk to tie the game at 16 midway through the half.

MSU held a 19-16 lead following a field goal by Cole Harper, but the lead didn’t last long as Bruggeman hit back-to-back field goals, before Taylor Schafer drilled a 3-pointer to give SMSU a 23-19 lead with 7:33 on the clock.

MSU scored four straight to tie the game, but SMSU went back in front on a basket by Turner Moen making the score 27-25. It was the last lead of the half for the Mustangs as the Mavericks reeled off six straight over a two and a half minute stretch to take a 31-27 lead.

SMSU would hold MSU scoreless the final three minutes of the half and free throws-two each by Bruggeman and Lee-would tie the game at 31 heading into the break.

MSU regained the lead at 34-33 early in the second half, but SMSU countered with six straight points to take a 39-34 lead following a Dufault jumper. Following a 3-pointer by MSU’s Carlos Anderson, Dufault buried a pair of 3-pointers to give SMSU a 45-37 advantage with 14:38 remaining.

MSU answered right back with a 10-0 run to regain the lead at 47-45 lead at the 11:50 mark. The lead didn’t last long as Bruggeman hit a jumper and Kirk followed with back-to-back layups to push SMSU back in front at 51-47 midway through the half.

SMSU maintained a 55-49 lead with 7:48 left, but MSU rallied with seven straight to regain the advantage at 56-55 with 6:20 remaining.

Moen put SMSU back in front with a three-point play moments later, but Browns hit two free throws to tie the game at 58. Bruggeman then banged in a 3-pointer to put SMSU back in the lead, but MSU would score six straight to regain a 64-61 lead with 3:30 left.

Bruggeman would hit a jumper shot to cut the deficit to one-point, before Kirk’s dunk gave the Mustangs their last lead of the game, setting up the final frantic minutes.

Southwest Minnesota State continues its four-game road trip next Friday, Jan. 26, facing MSU Moorhead with start time set for 8 p.m.

Content courtesy

of SMSU Athletic

Communications