MARSHALL­– Southwest Minnesota State connected on 14 3-pointers with the Mustangs’ Dunwa Omot drilling four 3-pointers, while scoring a team-high 20 points, in earning a 79-70 non-conference victory over Mount Marty on Saturday afternoon inside the R/A Facility.

SMSU improves to 4-1 with the win, while MMU drops to 3-6.

Mason Lund scored a career-high 16 points with a pair of 3-pointers and grabbed a career-high nine rebounds to help the Mustangs earn the win, while teammate Majok Majouk also poured in a career-high with 15 points, while making four 3-pointers. Anthony Costello also reached double figures in scoring with 12 points and seven rebounds.

SMSU closed the day shooting 48 percent (28 of 59) from the field, including a blistering 14 of 28 from 3-point range.

MMU, which was led by Caden Casey’s 20 points with six 3-pointers, finished the game making 14 of 34 from 3-point range. The Lancers shot 40 percent (25 of 62) from the field overall.

SMSU held a 41-30 rebound advantage and outscored MMU, 36-20, in bench points.

SMSU started the game strong scoring the first 12 points behind 3-pointers by Omot and Jake Phipps.

The Lancers would cut the deficit to 14-9, but the Mustangs stopped the mini-run behind a 3-pointer by Majouk and capped off by a 3-pointer by Costello to push the lead to 26-14 midway through the half.

SMSU took its largest lead of the half at 31-18 at the 5:43 mark following a field goal by Lund. Omot would later hit two free throws to give the Mustangs another 13-point advantage at 38-25 with 2:36 remaining, but the Lancers would counter with a pair of 3-pointers to make the score 38-31 before SMSU settled for a 42-33 halftime advantage.

SMSU shot 45 percent (14 of 31) in the opening 20 minutes including 9 of 18 from 3-point land.

The Mustangs committed eight turnovers in the first half which led to an 11-2 scoring advantage for the Lancers in points off of turnovers.

MMU cut the SMSU lead to 42-38 early in the second half, but a Costello field sparked a 10-2 run capped by a Lund basket to extend the lead to 52-40 at the 15:30 mark.

MMU would continue to fight back and eventually pulled to within 64-60 at the 7:49 mark, while SMSU was a scoreless drought that lasted nearly four minutes. Jakob Braaten finally ended the drought with just his second 3-pointer of the season to make the score 67-60. Following a MMU turnovers, Majouk added a lay-up to push the margin to 69-60.

The Lancers would make the score 69-64 with 2:47 left in the game, but back-to-back field goals by Omot and Phipps would help seal the victory and give SMSU a 4-0 all-time record versus MMU.

SMSU returns to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Thursday, Dec. 1, hosting Augustana University with tip-off slated for 7:30 p.m.