Senior guard Ryan Brimley recorded a career-high 29 points after knocking down six 3-pointers and sophomore guard Jackson Stevenett produced a career night with 19 points and eight rebounds. The Thunderbirds (4-10, 1-3 Summit) shot 54% from the floor and hit 23-of-28 at the free throw line but could not overcome SDSU's (10-4, 2-1 Summit) 10 3-pointers and 31-of-46 free throws. The Jackrabbits came into the game leading the conference averaging 8.2 three-pointers per contest and knocked down seven of them in the second half while also shooting 62%.

SUU had four players score in double-figures with junior forwards Jake Nielson and Matt Massey finish with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

"We did a good job on the offensive end tonight but didn't match the energy on the defensive end and that good veteran team in SDSU didn't miss in the second half," commented assistant coach Ron Carling. "Ryan and Jackson brought great energy tonight and that was nice to see them shoot the ball well."

Southern Utah opened the game with three quick baskets from Massey in the opening minutes before a Nielsen jumper gave SUU an early 10-9 advantage.

The Jackrabbits responded in a big way, using an 8-0 run and later producing a 15-2 run to open up a 37-19 lead with 5:58 remaining.

The Thunderbirds would then turn to their bench as Brimley and Stevenett entered the game towards the end of the SDSU run and quickly sparked a 15-4 SUU run. Brimley got things started, scoring Southern Utah's next eight points beginning with a three from the right wing. He then followed an SDSU layup with baseline jumper before getting the Centrum Arena crowd back into the game with a long three. Stevenett followed Brimley's lead by scoring the next five points before Nielsen's runner capped the run and cut SDSU's lead to 41-34 with 1:56 left.

Both teams would go on to trade free throws in the final minutes half with the Jackrabbits taking a 45-38 lead into the break. Brimley and Stevenett each recorded 11-first half points. Despite the Thunderbirds shooting nearly 52% percent, SDSU stayed kept the lead by knocking down 14-of-18 free throws while SUU received just seven trips to the line.

The Thunderbirds would open the second half outscoring SDSU 8-4 in the early minutes, cutting the SDSU lead down to three after a driving layup by Nielson.

The Jackrabbits answered right back with the three ball, getting hot from the outside to produce at 14-5 run and open up a 71-56 lead with just under 11 minutes to play.

Brimley and Stevenett continued to lead the SUU comeback, with Brimley hitting three more threes that eventually saw the Thunderbirds cut the lead to six after five straight points from sophomore center Matt Hodgson and an old fashioned three-point play from Massey with 3:03 remaining.

SDSU came back with a pair of threes but Nielsen knocked one down from the right corner and Brimley stole the inbounds pass and quickly hit a three from the same right corner to keep it a six-point game with 1:36 remaining.

The Jackrabbits would hit some free throws to keep the lead around six even as Warrick added a three in the final seconds. More SDSU free throws closed out the game with the Jackrabbits holding on for the 10-point win.

The Jackrabbits had five players finish in double-figures, led by reigning Summit League Player of the Week Nate Wolters who finished 29 points.

The Thunderbirds will have a week off before resuming conference play, heading to Kansas City to face UMKC. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. (MST).