Box Score MOORHEAD, Minn. - DJ Hamilton's made free throw with six-tenths of a second remaining gave the 21st-ranked Dragons a 66-65 win over the Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks. The Dragons' win moves them to 10-0, 6-0 in the NSIC, while the Mavericks drop to 3-8, 2-5 in the NSIC.
 
The first half saw the Dragons playing deficit basketball, due in part to nine uncharacteristic turnovers. The Mavericks went on a 9-2 opening run, sparked by Alex Hanks' three-pointer for the first basket of the night.
 
The Dragons showed themselves to be the “resilient and confident group” Coach Chad Walthall described after the game, responding with a 11-4 run of their own, tying the score 13-13. Not until DJ Hamilton hit a step-back three-pointer with just over 10 minutes remaining in the half, did the Dragons take their first lead, 17-16. Hamilton led all first-half scorers with 12.
 
Both teams traded leads in the final ten minutes of the first half, until the Mavericks took a 37-31 lead into halftime. The Dragons were paced by Alex Novak's tough defense, tallying five first-half blocks down in the paint; however, all of Novak's opportunities were problematic for Coach Walthall. “Alex was very active tonight, but I wish we wouldn't have so many blocked shots, as that means our defense has broken down. But Novak really got us out of some difficult situations.”
 
The second half saw the Mavericks extend their lead by as many as 11 points. The Mavericks got four straight points from Travis Meinders, after he sank both free throws and scored a jump shot following a Coach Walthall technical foul. The Dragons fought back, scoring back-to-back three pointers, as Jake Driscoll hit a high-arching three right in front of the Dragon bench, and Hamilton answered the following possession, moving the Dragons within 2 at 56-54. It would be two free throws by Hamilton with 6:14 remaining that would give the Dragons the lead that they would not give back.
 
A lead, however, that was not certain until six-tenths of a second remained in regulation.
 
Mavericks head coach, Matt Margenthaler, received a technical foul of his own with just over one minute left to play. Hamilton was able to make 1-of-2 free throws, giving the Dragons a 63-61 lead, and Charlie Chapman extended the lead 65-61, after hitting a long-range jump shot with his foot on the three-point line. Mavericks forward Connor O'Brien scored on a missed shot, moving the Mavericks back within 2 points. Coming out of a Mavericks time out, Hamilton was whistled for a five-second violation, and O'Brien tied the score at 65.
 
Letting the game clock expire, Hamilton drove the lane off a Novak screen and was fouled by Mavericks guard Jimmy Whitehead with six-tenths of a second remaining. Hamilton was able to hit his second free throw, keeping the Dragons undefeated on the season.
 
“This was a good win to see how we can handle that situation,” commented Novak, “as you cannot simulate that in practice.”
 
MSUM finished the game 24-for-44, 54.5%, from the field, 7-for-16, 43.8%, from three, and 11-for-21, 52.4%, from the free throw line. The Dragons had four players who scored in double-digits: Hamilton (19), Novak (17), Jake Lindfors (14), and Chapman (11).
 
MSU, Mankato shot 25-for-64, 39.1%, from the field, 5-for-19, 26.3%, from three, and 10-for-11, 90.9%, from the free throw line. The Mavericks also had four players score in double-digits: Whitehead (13), Stephen Kirschbaum (11), Meinders (10), and Zach Romashko (10).
 
The Dragons will play game two of this home double-header tomorrow night against Southwest Minnesota State University at 8:00 pm.
 
Steve d'Eustachio's Stat of the Game: This is the first Dragons' victory over MSU, Mankato since their 89-82 home win on February 20, 1982. The 1981-82 season also happened to be the last time the Dragons won the conference championship.