Box Score GOLDEN, Colo. – The Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragon men's basketball team faced the No. 1 nationally ranked Colorado School of Mines Sunday night to decide who went to the NCAA Sweet 16 but the Orediggers shot incredibly well while shutting down the Dragon's three-point strength to win 80-60 in their home gym in Golden, Colo.
Both teams struggled early to get their offense going. Down 3-4, the Dragons looked inside to get junior
Alex Novak going and he responded with a two hand slam to give the Dragons a one point lead just over four minutes into the game 5-4.
The Orediggers would score the next three baskets to take a five point lead at the 11:14 mark but with Novak in foul trouble,
Eric Olson stepped in and scored a basket of his own to bring the Dragons within three.
Colorado Mines started to get their shots to fall, making a 10-2 run capped off by a Trevor Wages layup to make to score 9-22 with 6:22 to go in the first half.
The remainder of the half was back and fourth but a Brett Green three-pointer with time expiring gave the Orediggers their largest lead of the half, 25-40.
There just seemed to be a lid on the Dragon's basket in the first half. The team followed last night's 42.9 three point shooting percentage with a dismal 20 percent in the first half of play.
The Orediggers were lead in the half by Trevor Wages with nine points and seven rebounds, Dale Minschwaner with eight points and Luck Meisch with seven.
Dragon senior
DJ Hamilton would come out in the second half firing, scoring the first seven points for the Dragons including a dribble-drive jumper to bring the Oredigger's lead down to 11 points with 17:44 remaining.
Colorado Mines would respond quickly with 12-3 run, taking a 23 point lead with 13:37 left in the game (34-57).
Senior
Andrew VanHavermaet would add a three and
Jordan Riewer would hit a pair of free throws at the 12:23 mark to bring the Dragons within 18.
Trevor Ritchie would answer for the Orediggers with a jumper that kicked off an 8-0 run with 7:38 to go to give the Orediggers their largest lead of the game, 45-72.
The Dragon's senior guards Hamilton and Chapman would finally find their shots, blowing up into an 11-0 run between the two of them, including Hamilton adding 15 second-half points.
Even though the Dragon seniors refused to quit, the deficit proved too much to overcome and the No. 1 Colorado Mines defeated MSUM to end their extremely successful season by a score of 80-60.
“Mines…they're good,” said senior
Jake Driscoll. “They definitely proved they're the top team in the region and the country. They're no joke. They're big and shot the ball well. They came out, took away our strengths and we had a tough time.”
“It was a lot of fun, but we wanted to come out here and win some games,” said senior
Andrew VanHavermaet. “Tonight wasn't our night, but they're going to go on and we know they will have a lot of success.”
“We're excited,” said head coach
Chad Walthall. “We've had a terrific year, and we're going to celebrate this season. I'm so proud of these guys, they're all good teammates and especially good people.”
The Orediggers shot incredibly well; 50 percent from beyond the arc (9-18) and 50 percent from the floor (28-56). The Dragons shot 28.6 percent from three and 40.3 percent from the floor. They were led in scoring by Hamilton with 21 points, Chapman with 10 and Novak with 10 points and 7 rebounds.
The Dragons will graduate Driscoll, VanHavermaet, Chapman, Hamilton,
Jimmy Johnson and
Xavier Reed.
Driscoll is the Dragon's career leader in three point attempts with 509, first in three pointers made with 207 and fourth in career assistst with 254. VanHavermaet is second in career three point attempts with 493 and third in threes made with 198. Chapman is third in three point field goals made in a season with 83. Novak is third all-time in rebounds with 764 and first in career blocks with 173. Driscoll is the also the Dragons twenty-first all-time leading scorer with 1,133 career points.
“You need to have your seniors be leaders buy in,” said Walthall. “You don't get to the NCAA's final 32 without great leadership, and these guys really are great leaders, and I'm so proud of each and every one of them.”
Steve d'Eustachio's Stat of the Game: Aside from tonight, the last time the Dragon men played in the state of Colorado was November 20, 2004 in the same building they were beaten tonight by none other than the Colorado School of Mines by a score of 73-51.
MSUM men fall in Division II playoffs - Fargo Forum
No. 1 Mines Advances to Regional Final With 80-60 Win Over Dragons - Colorado School of Mines Athletics
MSUM Men's basketball vs. Colorado Orediggers - WDAY
Top-ranked Colorado Mines advances - Newsodrome
