SMSU MEN’S BASKETBALL: SMSU goes cold in second half, gets tripped up by NSU
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MARSHALL -- The Southwest Minnesota State University men's basketball team had the makings early on to not only stop its six-game home losing streak, but also earn a win over one of the top teams in the conference in Northern State University. SMSU was able to procure a halftime lead thanks to a hot start, but for the second time in as many nights, the Mustangs saw their chances of victory slip away with a cold second-half outing, shooting just 28% in the final 20 minutes as Northern State defeated SMSU 74-66 on Saturday night.
SMSU coach Brad Bigler said he was pleased with the level of fight his team showed all night, but they weren't able to keep its momentum going during an important stretch of the game and the Wolves capitalized.
"Going into the game, our goal was to bring a great deal of intensity and fight," Bigler said. "I thought the guys really did have that throughout the entire game, it's unfortunate we had a lull from that 10-minute mark to five-minute mark, a five minute stretch where we got out of rhythm, Weston [Baker Magrath] had the injury, Jake [Phipps] was in foul trouble and we went with the different lineup and they were able to take advantage of it."
Strong use
of the paint
The Mustangs' red-hot start didn't come from their perimeter shooting (2-of-5 in the first half), but from their ability to score in the paint. SMSU scored 20 of its 38 first-half points around the basket, gaining an early lead before a layup from Andy Stafford made it 15-6 with 15:27 left in the opening frame.
The Mustangs would push that advantage to double digits when Jake Phipps got back-to-back layups to go, only to see the Wolves answer with an 8-1 run to draw to within four at 28-24 with five minutes left. The two teams then traded points to close the half, with SMSU taking its first halftime lead since Jan. 17 at 38-33.
Cold stretch
disrupts rhythm
Looking to keep its first-half shooting percentage of 60.9% going, SMSU traded points with Northern State in the early stages of the second frame before taking a five-point lead at 48-43 on a pair of free throws from Phipps. But during a critical stretch that saw Phipps pick up his fourth foul and Baker Magrath on the bench after a first-half injury, the Wolves went on a key 20-6 run to take their first lead since the opening basket at 63-54 with five minutes left.
Bigler said they were able to take advantage of their size in the paint early on in the game, but absence of their rim protectors during that five-minute stretch in the second half helped the Wolves take advantage and ultimately outscore SMSU 34-28 in points in the paint for the game.
"It was an advantage we thought we had and both Weston and Jake were able to get them in foul trouble as well as score baskets on them. It was a simple gameplan, nothing complex, but it put a lot of pressure on them," Bigler said. "Again at that 10-minute mark when Jake had to go out with four and Weston couldn't come in, it was a game-changer and unfortunately for us we couldn't recover from it."
In need of a spark, the Mustangs got four consecutive free throws from Stafford and Kenny Byers before Nick Dufault connected on a key 3-pointer to draw to within two. After Phipps got a block on the ensuing possession, Dufault drew a foul and hit two free throws to tie things up at 63-63 with 3:15 left.
The Wolves wasted little time in responding, though, scoring three straight baskets to go up 69-63 with under two minutes to play. SMSU got a 3-point play from Byers on the other end to get to within three, but NSU got an offensive rebound and a putback layup before icing the game at the free throw line to earn the comeback win.
Phipps led the way for the Mustangs with 16 points while Stafford added 13 and Byers had 12. Phipps led in rebounds with six while Byers led in assists with four. As a team, SMSU shot 43.8% (21-of-48).
Up next
SMSU (7-17, 4-14 NSIC) will hit the road for the final time in the regular season, facing Upper Iowa University on Friday at 7:30 p.m. before taking on Winona State University next Saturday at 6 p.m. Bigler said their biggest takeaway is to be able to make the right plays down the stretch in order to close out games.
"Right now, just our ability to make winning plays down the stretch," Bigler said. "Hustle plays, the unselfish play and when your number is called, the open shots; those simple plays in that final stretch are the difference and right now we have to be able to anticipate them and just make the right play at the right time."
Northern State 74, SMSU 66
Northern State 33 41 -- 74
SMSU 38 28 -- 66
Scoring: SMSU (Phipps 5-7, 6-8 16; Stafford 4-7, 4-5 13; Byers 3-7, 6-7 12; Dufault 2-7, 2-2 7; Dayman 2-4, 1-2 7; Baker Magrath 3-4, 0-2 6; McCray 2-8, 0-0 5).
Rebounds: SMSU 35 (Phipps 6; Dayman, Baker Magrath, Kramer 5).
Assists: SMSU 10 (Byers 4; Dufault 3; Dayman, McCray, Kramer 1).
Steals: SMSU 3 (Byers 2; Dufault 1).
Blocks: SMSU 4 (Baker Magrath 3; Phipps 1).