Photo courtesy of SMSU Athletic Communications Southwest Minnesota State forward Audrey Swanson (12) drives against Minnesota State’s Destinee Bursch during a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference womens basketball game on Friday night at the Taylor Center in Mankato.

MANKATO — The Southwest Minnesota State University womens basketball team couldn’t keep pace with an early offensive barrage from No. 12 Minnesota State on Friday night. The Mavericks built an early lead and the Mustangs fell 101-83.

After tying the program record for best start to a season at 8-0, the Mustangs have dropped each of their last two games, with a 72-58 loss to Concordia-St. Paul last weekend in addition to Friday’s loss to Minnesota State.

On Friday, Natalie Nielsen hit a layup to tie the game up at 2-2 in the first minute. That would be the last time the Mavericks weren’t leading. Minnesota State went on a 9-2 run to take control and finished the quarter with a 32-23 advantage after leading by as many as 17 points in the frame. They went into halftime leading 63-42 and never looked back.

Despite the loss, Nielsen had herself a day for the Mustangs offensively. The sophomore center scored a career-high 28 points on 11 of 15 shooting from the field and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. The mark bested her previous career-high of 16 against Bethany Lutheran and doubled her previous high-water mark against Division II competition, 14 points in a win over Minnesota Duluth.

SMSU finished with a 38-35 rebounding advantage behind eight rebounds apiece from Nielsen and Audrey Swanson. Nielsen’s five offensive rebounds also led SMSU to a narrow 13-12 advantage on the offensive glass.

Swanson and Peyton Blandin each scored 13 points for SMSU, Blandin on 4 of 9 shooting and Swanson on 4 of 8. Blandin also made three of her four attempts from 3-point range, though the rest of the team shot a combined 3 of 19 from 3-point range.

True freshman Nicole Maenke dished out a career-high six assists on the day while also scoring 9 points.

Stoltzman and Blandin each recorded four steals while Nielsen and Swanson added another two, as well as a pair of blocks for Nielsen.

SMSU finished the game falling 36-25 in the turnover battle, resulting in a 45-27 advantage in points off turnovers for Minnesota State. Swanson finished the day with 11 turnovers.

SMSU falls to 8-2 (2-2 NSIC) with the loss and will look to bounce back when it heads to McCown Gymnasium for a road matchup against Winona State (6-4, 2-2 NSIC) today at 3:30 p.m.