MARSHALL, MN – For the second straight time playing at the R/A Facility, University of Mary guard Connor Hellebust showed an impressive comfort level at one of the toughest arenas for opposing players in the Northern Sun. Just less than a year after the sophomore guard scored 18 points in his first career start – a playoff game against 2018 NSIC South champion Southwest Minnesota State University – Hellebust broke free for 21 points against the Mustangs to equal his career high.
 
Despite the Bismarck, ND, native's strong play, the Marauders (7-11 overall / 4-8 NSIC) couldn't overcome a slow start in a 79-71 loss to the Mustangs (10-8 / 5-7 NSIC), capping a four-game road trip for UMary.
 
Hellebust knocked down three treys for the second straight game and third time in four outings. He was 7-of-13 overall from the floor and added three rebounds, two assists and two steals.
 
Jaylan White chipped in 13 points, five assists and three steals. Tom Kubank added nine points, eight rebounds and three steals. Matthew Kreklow contributed nine points, six rebounds and two steals.
 
Gaining additional playing time with the absence of starting guard Dennis Austin III and key reserve Evan Anderson for health issues, freshman Trever Kaiser reached double figures for points in a second straight game. The Dassel, MN, native hit a pair of 3s, snared seven boards and dished two assists.
 
SMSU all-time leading scorer Ryan Bruggeman led all players with 29 points and seven assists. Braedan Hanson added 16 points and Nick Dufault 14. Both Hanson and Dufault made four treys each as the Mustangs finished 13-of-28 behind the arc to the Marauders 8-of-27 effort.
 
The Mustangs came out on fire, shooting 58 percent in the first half while making 7-of-15 trey attempts and jumping out to a 33-18 lead. The Marauders struggled from the field to open the game, shooting 39 percent from field while making just 1-of-11 trey attempts in the first 20 minutes of play. It took a late run to climb within 39-30 of SMSU at intermission.
 
On the night the Marauders were an impressive +7 in rebounds, +4 in turnovers and shot nine more free throws than the Mustangs but those positives failed to overcome the hot shooting of the home team. While UMary outscored SMSU 41-40 in the second half, the Mustangs finished the game with a field goal percentage of 55 percent. The Marauders checked in at 37 percent.
 
Just as they had the night before in a loss at Sioux Falls, the Marauders forced a little panic the home team late in the game. UMary went on a 12-4 run to close within 77-71 on a Kaiser 3 with 22 seconds left in the game. Bruggeman ended the UMary hopes with a pair of free throws.
 
The Marauders return home to the McDowell Activity Center for Alumni weekend on Jan. 25-26 when Bemidji State University and the University of Minnesota Crookston.
 
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