Photo by Samantha Davis: Southwest Minnesota State University’s Brynn Busse begins to drive towards the basket against UMary on Jan. 17 in Marshall at the R.A Facility. The Mustangs are slated to take on the University of Jamestown and Northern State University this weekend on the road.

MARSHALL — Looking to keep on an upward trend and extending its winning streak, the Southwest Minnesota State University womens basketball team hits the road this weekend for a pair of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games. The Mustangs will take on Jamestown on Friday, and will face Northern State on Saturday. 

The Mustangs jumped up in the NSIC South conference standings to second place after two wins last weekend, and enter Saturday 10-4 in conference and 12-7 overall. SMSU is also fourth out of the 16 teams in the complete conference standings. 

Minnesota State, who still remains undefeated on the season at 20-0, occupies first in the NSIC South and overall conference. 

Jamestown, new to the NSIC this year, enters the weekend 4-14 overall and 2-12 in conference. NSU comes in at 10-10 overall with a 5-9 record in the NSIC. 

SMSU and UJ will top off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday from the Harold Newman Arena. The Mustangs and Wolves will play on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Wachs Arena. 

A radio broadcast of both games can be found on 105.1 FM KARL, with live video and stats online at SMSUmustangs.com.

Continuing to build momentum 

SMSU has hit a stride around the midway point of the regular season, winning its last four games straight and seven of the last eight. 

After this weekend, there are just six games left in the regular season before the NSIC Tournament begins on Feb. 25. 

Last weekend, the Mustangs finished their four-game homestand with another two wins over Minnesota State University Moorhead and Minnesota Crookston. 

Against the Dragons in a 61-53 victory, Natalie Nielsen led the way with 20 points on 9 for 11 shooting and eight rebounds. Kylan Gerads and Audrey Swanson followed with 14 and 13 points, respectively. 

As the second-best 3-point shooting team in the NSIC, the Mustangs held off for the win down the stretch with the help of their 8 3s and held the Dragons to just three. 

On Tropical Night against the Golden Eagles, SMSU held off a late push by UMC for a 76-66 win. 

The Mustangs were outscored in the third and fourth quarters, but their efficient shooting across the board along with a 42-27 rebounding advantage kept them in front in the long run. 

Swanson led the charge with 20 points while Nielsen finished with a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds. 

Meeting up with the Jimmies 

Friday’s meeting between SMSU and Jamestown will be just the sixth time in program history the two have faced off, with the Mustangs winning all five previous matchups. 

The last game played between SMSU and UJ was before any active players were born, in 1993. 

While in their first year competing at the Division II level, the Jimmies have picked up four wins so far on the season and enter Friday looking to snap an 11-game skid. 

UJ’s wins come from Dickinson State University and Bismarck State to start the season 2-0, along with defeating NSU and UMary. 

In the 60-58 win against the Marauders, who are third in the NSIC, Jamestown put together an impressive 25-12 second quarter for a halftime lead. 

A steal and fastbreak layup from Daviney Dreckman gave the Jimmies the edge in the final minute of the game. 

UJ outrebounded UMary 50-44, and scored 19 points off turnovers to UMary’s 10. Haidyn Crockett led the way with 16 points, while Jessika Loftstrom was a strong interior presence with 15 rebounds to her 8 points. 

Allie Berns is Jamestown’s leading scorer averaging 13.8 points on 51% shooting. Loftstrom leads the boards with 6.4 rebounds a game. 

SMSU will also have to keep an eye on the defense behind Samantha Paulsen and Berns, who lead UJ in steals and blocks. Paulsen averages 1.5 steals and has 26 on the season, while Berns ranks seventh individually in the NSIC with one block a game. She has 18 on the year so far. 

The Mustangs hold a sizable advantage on the scoring end over Jamestown, averaging 73.1 a night to UJ’s 61.3. 

Yet, Jamestown has been aggressive on the glass and ranks seventh in the NSIC with an average of 37.8 rebounds. SMSU is 10th in the conference with 37.3 rebounds a game. 

Entering Friday, Swanson remains as SMSU’ leading scorer averaging 16.8 points, while Nicole Maenke, Gerads and Nielsen all average double-figures as well. Nielsen is the team’s leading rebounder, averaging 8.6. 

Seeking revenge on the Wolves 

It was an overtime showdown the last time SMSU and NSU met earlier this season on Nov. 30, where the Wolves ultimately came away with an 81-79 win. 

SMSU fell behind after being outscored 26-10 in the second quarter in the matchup. Although the Mustangs responded and outshot the Wolves in the second half, it wasn’t quite enough to end the game in regulation. 

NSU had a 71-68 lead with just over four minutes to go, just as Maenke hit a pair of free throws to bring the score within 1. 

Makenzie Carrier put away a free throw with 1:19 to play for a NSU 72-70 edge, but Maenke hit a clutch layup with 52 seconds left to tie the score up as both teams missed their last shot attempts to send the game to overtime. 

NSU built an 81-75 lead with less than two minutes to go after a 3-pointer, and although Maenke scored 4 consecutive points with a 3 of her own and a free throw in the final minute, it wasn’t quite enough to top the Wolves in the end. 

Along with looking to maintain consistency across all four quarters in Saturday’s rematch, SMSU will look to be more dominant on the boards this time around. The Mustangs were outrebounded 39-24 previously. 

Notably, Nielsen did not play in the first meeting against NSU as she was sidelined with an injury, but will be available to help manage SMSU’s interior play this time around. 

The two shot similarly in November, and limited one another particularly from the perimeter. SMSU shot 5 of 25, while NSU went 2 of 8 from deep. 

Four different players scored in double figures to power NSU, led by Taylor Tool’s 24 points. 

Swanson led the way for SMSU with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Maenke had another 21 points with four assists. 

As a team, NSU averages 63.9 points per game and 36.7 rebounds. 

SMSU will look to manage Izzy Moore, who enters the weekend as the Wolves leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 16.85 points with 6.35 boards. She also leads the team with 1.9 steals, 11th in the NSIC, and has 38 on the season. 

Following the weekend 

SMSU will remain on the road next weekend as well, taking on St. Cloud State (8-11, 5-9 NSIC) next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. and Minnesota State (20-0, 14-0 NSIC) on Saturday at 1 p.m. This will be the Mustangs’ second meeting of the season with both teams.