Men's Basketball
Men's Basketball
NSIC Basketball: SMSU 80, SCSU 61
Husky Men's Basketball Falls to Southwest Minnesota State, 80-61
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Marshall, Minn. -- Southwest Minnesota State defeated St. Cloud State University 80-61 and posted its 11th straight win to maintain first place in Northern Sun Intercollegiate (NSIC) men's basketball Friday night in Marshall.
The Mustangs, the top ranked team in the Central Region improved to 21-5 overall and 13-3 in the NSIC. St. Cloud State is 16-7 overall and 11-5 in the NSIC.
Southwest State senior guard Ryan Krome led all players with 23 points in the win. Kevin Andrews and Taylor Huseby added 12 points each.
St. Cloud State was led by sophomore Jesse Fisher (Pequot Lakes) and first year guard Brett Putz (Forest City, IA) with ten points each.
Fisher had six rebounds for the Huskies and sophomore forward Andrew Bernstetter (St. Joseph) pulled in seven rebounds.
The Mustangs Ross DeMasi had a game high 11 rebounds as SMSU won the battle of the boards 41-32. SMSU shot 45.1 percent from the game and made 29 of 37 free throw attempts.
The Huskies had to overcome poor shooting in the first half as St. Cloud State connected on 28.6 percent from the field and only 20 percent from three point range. St. Cloud State improved its shooting in the second half to finish the game at 38 percent. The Huskies converted in three of 11 three-point attempts.
Southwest Minnesota State scored the first basket of the game, a Kevin Andrews three and never looked back, extending the lead to 18 points at the 4:30 mark and led 45-27 at the half. Six minutes into the first frame a Jesse Fisher free throw brought the Huskies to within one point, 14-13. A 24-7 run by the Mustangs took the wind out of the Huskies sails and SCSU could only get as close as 15 points after that.
The Mustangs opened the second half with four straight points, outscored the Huskies 11-4 to gain the largest lead of the game, 56-31 at the 16:53 mark. SMSU maintained a healthy lead over the Huskies to gain the win and remain in first place in the NSIC.
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