MOORHEAD, Minn. – As DJ Hamilton has spent many games this season selflessly dishing the ball to his teammates, tonight was his turn as he scored a career-high 27 points in a 77-57 conference-opening win over the Bemidji State University Beavers at Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse.

As the Dragons have established their three-point identity, the big men down low started the scoring. Jake Lindfors made a jump shot off the opening tip, and Alex Novak two-hand slammed a DJ Hamilton feed to bring the Dragons up 4-2.

Then the DJ Hamilton show began. Marshalling the offense with a strong sense of confidence, he cross-over dribbled behind his back for a spot-up three-pointer from the top of the key, and a 9-6 lead. "After I hit that first one," Hamilton commented after the game, "it was like, alright."

The Beavers played aggressive man-to-man defense, not allowing any Dragon an easy look from outside the three-point arc. Coach Chad Walthall had the offense utilize ball movement and plays that allowed for drives towards the basket. In one such play, Hamilton split off a high post screen and took a Novak assist up for two and a 13-8 lead. Two minutes later, Charlie Chapman hit a deep three-pointer to give the Dragons a 19-10 lead that held for the next two minutes until Hamilton hit another jumper moving MSUM ahead 21-10.

The Beavers put together a 7-0 run after Lindfors was called for an intentional foul on BSU guard Lance Rongstad, who sank both his free throws. Mason Walters had a layup off a Dragon turnover, followed by another that tied the game at 21. However, the Dragons surged back when Chapman hit his second three-pointer of the half from well behind the arc, followed by a Novak turn-around jump hook off a Jordan Riewer steal to move the Dragons up 26-21.

BSU made another run, tying the game 26-26 off a Mason Walters three-point basket, and it seemed like the passion from the great runs would be squelched going into the half. But with three seconds remaining, Hamilton drove the length of the court and made and off-balance lay up and drawing a foul. He finished the three-point play with a made layup, ending the half up 31-26.

The second half started the same way as the first for the Dragons, with Novak going on a 6-0 beginning with a five-foot jump shot from Riewer, converting a lay up in transition off a Hamilton feed, and bringing the crowd to their feet with another two-handed dunk and a 37-28 lead.

And just like last half, this is when Hamilton got hot. Starting his move with a dribble between his legs, he guided the ball behind his back, past the defender, and hit a fall-away jump shot for a 41-32 lead. And he wasn't done.

"I'm not sure if you saw it," said assistant coach Dan Weisse, "But DJ called his own number out there and sunk the three." This basket gave MSUM a 56-43 lead going into a timeout with 9:30 remaining in regulation. And it was Hamilton with a stutter step, behind-the-back move that allowed him to split two BSU defenders for a lay up and a twenty-point lead at just under three minutes.

"He controlled the game," Coach Weisse said, reflecting upon Hamilton's performance. "He has done a heck of a job for our team."

MSUM finished the game 28-for-48, 58.3%, from the field, going 8-for-16, 50%, from three, and 13-for-14, 92.9%, from the free throw line. The Dragons had four players with double-digits scoring: Hamilton (27), Novak (14), Lindfors (12), and Chapman (11).

BSU shot 19-for-48, 39.6%, from the field, making 3-for-20, 15%, from three, and 16-for-20, 80%, from the free throw line. The Beavers were led in scoring by James Ellisor (19), followed by Mason Walters (12).

Steve d'Eustachio's Stat of the Game: DJ Hamilton's previous career-high was the 21 points he scored last January 29 in a 88-69 home win over the University of Minnesota Crookston.