What a difference a half can make.

After going into the break with a 45-37 lead, the University of Minnesota Duluth was outscored 49-16 in the second half by Southwest Minnesota State University as the Mustangs downed the Bulldogs 86-61 at Romano Gymnasium on Sunday.

The Bulldogs (7-5) shot an outstanding 71-percent (20-for-28) from the field during the first half while holding the Mustangs (7-3) to 56-percent shooting but the second half would be a completely different story.

SMSU opened the second half with a 15-0 run in four minutes of play and made it a 67-52 contest with 8:45 left to go.

The Mustangs would make it a 20-point lead, 76-56, at the 4:34 mark and never looked back as they cruised to the win over the Bulldogs.

Southwest Minnesota State shot 64-percent from the field in the second half while the Bulldogs were held to a dismal 20-percent.

For the game, the Mustangs out shot the Bulldogs 60-percent to 43-percent.

UMD senior guard Jordan Nuness led all scorers with 22 points.

Junior forward Brian Sykora chipped in 20 points for the Bulldogs and tied the game-high for rebounds with seven.

The Bulldogs will travel to Houghton, Mich., on Friday (Dec. 21) for a nonconference game against Michigan Tech University. The two teams will take to the court for a 6:30 p.m. tip-off.