The Southwest Minnesota State University women's basketball team staged a 15-0 run in the third quarter to pull away from Upper Iowa for an 82-64 victory on Friday night in Dorman Gymnasium. With the win, the Mustangs sweep the season series against the Peacocks and improve to 14-10 (9-10 NSIC) on the year. Upper Iowa dips to 3-22 (2-16 NSIC) with the loss.
The Peacocks got out to a 16-15 lead in the first quarter as the home team connected on 63.6 percent of its shots in the first 7:12 of action. SMSU then went on a 7-0 spurt to take a six-point advantage into the second frame. Upper Iowa immediately pulled back within one, 22-21, thanks to a Natalie Dinius triple and Jessica Musgrave jumper, and the teams continued to battle with UIU claiming a 34-33 tilt at the break.
Back-and-forth action proceeded into the third quarter as the game sat tied at 43-all with 6:26 left in the leg. The Mustangs then took advantage of an 18-2 scoring spree capped off by a 15-0 run for a 16-point buffer when the third ended. SMSU hit 45.5 percent of its shots during the stretch while holding UIU to 1-of-13 shooting overall and 0-of-6 from downtown. The Mustangs then earned a 21-19 edge in the fourth to set the final score at 82-64.
PEACOCKS OF THE GAME…
- Jessica Musgrave led the team with 19 points and six rebounds
- Marina Peinado scored a career-high 10 points thanks to 75.0 percent shooting from deep. Peinado also added six rebounds, three assists, and a steal
- Natalie Dinius (12) and Brooke Evenson (10) rounded out UIU's double figure scorers
STATS OF THE GAME...
- Southwest Minnesota State scored 30 points on UIU's 16 turnovers while the Peacocks only cashed in on eight after 10 Mustang miscues
- Upper Iowa outrebounded the visitors 35-33 overall and 11-8 offensively, which lead to a 12-10 advantage in second chance points
- The Mustangs shot 35.1 percent from the field and 16.7 percent behind the arc during the first half but turned things around to convert 58.6 percent from the floor and 47.1 percent from distance in the second half. Meanwhile, Upper Iowa was slowed from 50.0 to 31.4 percent from the floor and 45.5 to 23.5 percent from three-point range in the final 20 minutes
QUOTABLE...
UP NEXT... The Peacocks will close out the 2019-20 home schedule with the 12th-ranked Cougars of University of Sioux Falls on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. Upper Iowa will recognize its group of five seniors in between the women's and men's contests.
