Box Score MOORHEAD, Minn. - A late surge from Minnesota, Crookston gave the Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team a loss Saturday in Lysaker Gym. As the Dragons (13-5, 9-5) fell in the final seconds to the Golden Eagles (6-12, 2-12 NSIC), 82-79,
Jake Driscoll continued to climb the all-time scoring boards at MSUM.
Andrew VanHavermaet began the game with a shot behind the arc that sparked eight straight points from the Hawley, Minn. native. Another 3-pointer capped the scoring run and gave the Dragons an 8-2 lead in just a minute and half of action. The quick scoring was followed by a six-minute field goal drought.
Jake Lindfors, after making one free throw attempt, sank a 3-point shot for the fourth lead change of the first half, 12-11 in favor of the Dragons.
Lindfors converting an old-fashioned 3-point play capped a 13-4 run and gave the Dragons their biggest lead of the first, 25-15. A 16-5 run from the Golden Eagles and some help from the Dragons gave the home team a one-point lead with 3 minutes and 35 seconds left in the half. As
Jake Driscoll hit his second 3-pointer, passing Jim Bowen for 23rd all-time in Dragons scoring, the Dragons took the seventh lead of the game, 36-33. The Dragons bench outscored their starters in the first half, 22-16, as the team went into halftime with a 38-36 lead.
VanHavermaet, 4-of-5 from 3-point land in the first half, opened up scoring again for the Dragons with a made free throw. Back-and-forth scoring paced the beginning of the second half until
DJ Hamilton scored his first points with a 3-point field goal. The back-to-back Dragons baskets extended their lead to 46-40. Over six minutes later, Hamilton was able to extend a one-point lead with consecutive field goals, setting the score at 60-54.
The Golden Eagles started a 10-4 run to tie the game for the fourth time. Scoring spurts led to four lead changes within three minutes. The last, for the moment, would come from
Charlie Chapman as he broke a 70-70 tie with back-to-back 3-pointers. The Golden Eagles answered with consecutive baskets to bring the score to 76-75, in favor of the Dragons with under two minutes to play.
After Chapman made one of three free throw shots, Justin Rake took the Golden Eagles down the floor and put them on top, 78-77. Hamilton put the Dragons back in the lead by sinking two clutch free throws with 43 seconds in the game. After a made layup putting Crookston in the lead again, Hamilton split two defenders but missed the go-ahead layup. Forced to foul, the Dragons surrendered two free throw shots that a missed 3-pointer could not tie. The Golden Eagles pulled out the narrow 82-79 victory in thriller fashion.
MSUM finished the game 22–for-49 , 44.9%, from the field, 11-for-22 , 50.0%, from three, and 24–for-38 , 63.2%, from the free throw line. The Dragons were led in scoring by
Andrew VanHavermaet (18),
Jake Driscoll (13, 1,055 career at MSUM),
Jake Lindfors (13) and
DJ Hamilton (12).
Minnesota, Crookston finished the game 32–for-69 , 46.4%, from the field, 5-for-17 , 29.4%, from three, and 13–for-15 , 86.7%, from the free throw line. The Golden Eagles were led in scoring by Akeem Cubie (19), Keith Newberry (16) and Almir Krdzalic (14).
MSUM returns to Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse for a full NSIC weekend against Northern State and Mary (N.D.). The Dragons will take on the Wolves on Friday, Feb. 3 and the Marauders on Saturday, Feb. 4.
Steve d'Eustachio's Stat of the Game: Today was the first game the Dragon men shot above 40% from the field and lost. They are 11-1 when shooting at least 40% and 2-4 when shooting below 40%.
Dragons Preview Men's Game Notes Fargo Forum Recap
