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MARSHALL -- The Southwest Minnesota State men’s basketball team opened NSIC action on Tuesday night with a 73-65 victory over the University of Sioux Falls inside the R/A Facility.
Anthony Costello led four Mustangs in double figures with 15 points while grabbing six rebounds. Jake Phipps recorded his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Cliff McCray scored 13 points and Dunwa Omot added 12 points.
SMSU closed the game shooting 42 percent% from the field, including three of 13 from 3-point range, while USF shot 38% from the field and made just six of 27 from 3-point range.
SMSU committed eight turnovers and held a 38-34 rebound advantage.
The game started slow for the Mustangs as the Cougars built a 14-2 advantage in the first seven minutes of the game. McCray stopped USF’s run with a 3-pointer, Phipps followed with a layup, and Sam Schwartz added two free throws to cut the deficit to 14-9 at the 11:53 mark.
Phipps would score later in the half to trim the USF advantage to 24-21 with five minutes left in the half. The Cougars would continue to hold on to close the half and build a 32-29 halftime lead.
SMSU would finally take its first lead of the game as Phipps scored on a layup at the 17:30 mark in the second half to give the Mustangs a 37-35 advantage. SMSU would continue to roll and eventually pushed the lead to 47-35 following a 3-pointer by Mason Lund with 15 minutes remaining.
USF would pull to within 54-46 with 8:26 remaining, but a field goal by Omot and two baskets from Costello extended the SMSU lead to 60-46.
USF battled and cut the SMSU lead to 67-62 with 37 seconds remaining, but SMSU’s Jakob Braaten hit a pair of clutch free throws to help seal the victory.
SMSU returns to non-conference play on Saturday hosting Mount Marty (S.D.) at 2 p.m.