SMSU men use long-range shooting to advance past SCSU

MARSHALL, Minn. (SMSU) – Dunwa Omot scored a team-high 18 points, while No. 5 seed Southwest Minnesota State connected on 11 3-pointers to earn a 74-63 victory over No. 12 St. Cloud State in the first round of the NSIC Men’s Basketball Tournament inside the R/A Facility on Wednesday night.

SMSU, ranked No. 7 in the latest NCAA Central Region rankings released on Wednesday, improves to 18-11 overall, while SCSU ended its season at 12-16 overall. It was SMSU’s third win over SCSU this season and fifth straight in the series.

SMSU will now face Minot State in the tournament quarterfinals on Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. The two teams split a pair of meetings earlier this season.

Kyle Luedtke , one of three seniors playing his final home game, added 12 points with four 3-pointers, while Mason Lund chipped in with 10 points and pulled down a game-high seven rebounds.

SMSU finished the night shooting 50 percent (26 of 52) from the field and committed just eight turnovers. SMSU put the game away with a 17-0 run early in the second half.

SCSU close the game shooting 42 percent (25 of 59), while making 10 of 25 from 3-point range. Luke Taylor led the Huskies with 18 points, while teammate Wyatt Hawks added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

SCSU held an early 6-3 lead before SMSU’s Jakob Braaten scored four straight points to help spark a 12-0 run and build a 15-6 advantage at the 11:29 mark.

SCSU would rally back to tie the game at 20 with 6:16 left in the half, while connecting on three 3-pointers during a 14-5 run.

Mason Lund , who scored all of his points in the first half, put SMSU back in the lead with a 3-pointer to start a 10-2 spurt. A 3-pointer by Cliff Cofield and a layup by Aeron Stevens closed the run to put the Mustangs in front 30-22 in building a 31-27 halftime edge.

SCSU started the second half strong and regained the lead at 39-38 with 16 minutes remaining. Following field goals by but squads, SMSU put together the game deciding with Stevens hitting a pair of free throw at the 14:20 mark. The Mustangs would make five straight field goals, including four 3-pointers, during the 17-0 run to push their lead to 57-41 capped by an Omot 3-pointer with 10:45 remaining.

The Huskies would make one final comeback attempt, trailing 62-48 with 6:30 left, but Omot connected on another 3-pointer moments later to help seal the win.

Braaten finished the game with nine points, while Cofield and Mekhi Shaw n each added seven points off the bench. Jake Phipps grabbed six rebound and scored five points.

Tonight was the final game for SMSU seniors, Cofield, Luedtke and Phipps.

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