MANKATO, Minn. - The Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons' four game winning streak was halted on Saturday evening by the defending NCAA DII National Champions, MSU Mankato, 73-56, who is fighting for a play-off spot in the Northern Sun.

The Mavericks, going into the game in a three-way tie for seventh in the league needed to take down the Dragons who had been playing their best basketball of the season over the past four games. MSU moved their overall record to 13-9 and 8-7 in the league, taking the sole position in the No. 7 slot. The Dragons now sit at 10-5 in the league and 16-6 overall.

Mankato scored the first basket of the game and did not trail for 40 minutes. They went up by as much as nine in the first half, but the Dragons  went on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to one with 3:34 left in the first half. 

The Dragons scored 26 of their 32 first half points in the paint, 16 points tallied by Alison Nash-Gerlach. The Mavericks went 7-for-13 from the three-point line in the first half, Lauren Barber connecting on all four of her attempts.

Mankato went on a 9-0 run from the 17:36 mark in the second half to move the time to just over 13 minutes left with an 11 point lead. They continued to increase their lead and take the win.

The Mavericks shooting could not be matched by the Dragons as they shot 42 percent in the game to the Dragons 34 percent, only connecting 20 percent of the time in the second half.

Nash-Gerlach led the field with 25 points, going 10-for-18 from the filed. She aslo had seven rebounds. Meghan Rettke tallied a double-double with 11 rebounds and ten points.

MSUM will return home on Feb. 12 to host Bemidji State in the third annual Go Pink with the Dragons event. To find out more information about this year's Go Pink with the Dragons CLICK HERE. The women's basketball game is scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m.