ABERDEEN, S.D. — Needing a win to secure a share of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular-season title on Saturday, the Southwest Minnesota State womens basketball team couldn’t get the job done against Northern State. The Mustangs overcame a 9-point deficit in the final three minutes to come within one possession of the Wolves, but fell 78-75 in the end.

The loss leaves SMSU as the No. 2 seed in the NSIC tournament, trailing only No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul. The Mustangs will enjoy a first-round bye before facing off against the winner of No. 10 Wayne State and No. 7 Minnesota State Moorhead at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Trailing 73-64, Bri Stoltzman hit a layup and Peyton Blandin knocked down a 3 to make it a 4-point game. Another pair of layups brought SMSU within 2 points, but NSU’s Alayna Benike drained a pair of free throws after being intentionally fouled to keep the Wolves in charge.

Stoltzman hit another jump shot in the paint with 17 seconds left to keep SMSU within striking distance, but Benike stayed clutch at the line with another pair of free throws. A jumper from Swanson brought SMSU back within 2 points, but it was too late; Michaela Jewett hit another free throw to make it a 3-point game and SMSU couldn’t get off an attempt to tie at the buzzer.

Stoltzman led SMSU with 29 points on 13 of 29 shooting, and her seven rebounds trailed only Swanson’s 10 and Natalie Nielsen’s nine.

Blandin added another 20 points for SMSU while Swanson added 15.

SMSU shot 38.8% from the field and 23.8% on 21 3-point attempts, while NSU shot 50.9% from the field and knocked down three of its seven 3-point attempts.

Rianna Fillipi led Northern with 25 points while Madelyn Bragg and Jewett added 19 and 15. Bragg also grabbed 11 rebounds for the double-double while Fillipi dished out a game-high eight assists. SMSU dished out five assists as a team.