Photo by Jake McNeill: Southwest Minnesota State University forward Calvin Buss (right) dunks over Minot State's Isaiah Alexander during the second half of a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference mens basketball game on Friday in Marshall.

This story will be updated with stats, quotes and details

MARSHALL — The Southwest Minnesota State University mens basketball team found an early spark in its Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matchup against the Minot State Beavers on Friday night. The Mustangs got off to a hot start and never looked back, leading by as many as 25 points en route to a 72-60 win to retain a share of first place in the conference standings.

Micah Schlaak spurred SMSU to a 7-0 run to start the game. He initiated one of the early baskets by jumping the passing lane for a steal before going coast-to-coast for a layup, and the Mustangs manipulated the Minot defense for 34 seconds before Schlaaak caught a grenade in the corner and beat the shot clock buzzer for a 3 to cap off SMSU’s early run.

The Beavers got going in transition early and often, but the Mustang defense shined to shut down a series of 2-on-1 fastbreaks and limit the Beavers to 2 fast-break points.

SMSU limited Minot to 26% shooting from the field and 1 of 12 shooting from 3-point range in the first half, while the Mustangs shot 54% from the field and 5 of 15 from long range before the break.

The Beavers had just three players score in the first half, getting 7 points each from Deuce Benjamin and Darik Dissette and another pair from Kiku Parker Jr. The rest of the team shot a combined 0 of 10 from the field.

Holding a 9-13 lead, the Mustangs pulled away with another 10-0 run. Brayson Boike got the streak started with back-to-back 3-pointers off assists from Schlaak, and a pair of free throws from Aeron Stevens and a Mason Lund layup allowed the Mustangs to continue padding their lead.

Minot ended the drought with a Dissette layup, but SMSU held the Beavers scoreless for the next six minutes to bring their advantage to 30-11.

SMSU’s lead eclipsed 20 points when Braaten came up with a steal to set up a Schlaak 3, and Shaw snagged another pair of steals to assist a Braaten layup and score another himself to bring the score to 37-14. SMSU went into halftime with a 39-16 lead.

The Mustangs’ lead reached its zenith when Stevens scored the first points of the second half to give SMSU a 25-point cushion, but the Beavers responded from there.

Trey Brandt got Minot with back-to-back 3-pointers to lead the Beavers on an 8-0 run, trimming the gap to 17 points. Minot treaded water to stay within striking distance until 4 points from Dissette and another pair each from Benjamin and Isaiah Alexander made it a 10-point game, 47-37, with 13 minutes to play.

That was as close as the Beavers got, however. SMSU pulled back ahead by as many as 18 points before Minot State cut it back to 10 with two-and-a-half minutes to play. Still, the Mustangs made shots down the stretch to hold on for the win

SMSU improves to 12-5 overall with the win, and their 9-2 conference record keeps them tied with St. Cloud State for first place in the NSIC. The Mustangs will look to keep at least a share of that title when they host UMary tonight at 5 p.m.