Photo courtesy of SMSU Athletic Communications: Southwest Minnesota State University guard Peyton Blandin (left) dribbles the ball along the perimeter during a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference womens baskteball tournament game against Minnesota State at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. on Monday

SIOUX FALLS — Junior Audrey Swanson set the No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State University womens basketball single-season rebound record in the Mustangs’ 87-74 loss to defending NCAA national champion No. 3 Minnesota State in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament semifinals Monday afternoon in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Swanson grabbed her 286th rebound of the season in the fourth quarter, passing Anne Pryor who finished with 284 in the 1981-82 season.

Swanson also finished with a team-high 18 points and 12 rebounds, marking her 15th double-double outing of the season, with eight in the last 11 games.

Following its tournament loss, SMSU will now wait for Selection Sunday this weekend to see if it earns a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The show airs at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com.

The top eight teams in a region advance to the tournament to compete for a national title, and the Central Region, which SMSU resides in, consists of 41 teams from the NSIC, Great American Conference and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. The postseason winner of each conference earns an automatic bid into the NCAA, with the remaining five spots awarded at-large.

The Mustangs were ranked No. 7 in last week’s NCAA Central Region rankings, and is one of four NSIC schools to make the list alongside No. 2 Concordia-St Paul, No. 5 Minnesota State and No. 8 Northern State. The final weekly rating will be released on Wednesday, but will not include Monday or Tuesday game results.

Minnesota State’s defense was ultimately too much to handle and forced 35 SMSU turnovers for 46 points off turnovers to power the upset. Swanson, Bri Stoltzman and Kenzie Jones also all fouled out by the game’s final minutes.

The Mustangs were outshot 26-13 in the third quarter, where they committed 12 turnovers, and went into the final frame with a 70-52 deficit.

Along with Swanson, Stoltzman and Natalie Nielsen each finished with 16 points apiece, while Peyton Blandin tallied 10. Swanson, Stoltzman, Blandin and Maddie Thorfinnson each had three steals on the night as well.

SMSU heads into selection Sunday at 26-4 overall, 19-3 in conference.