Box Score BEMIDJI, Minn. – DJ Hamilton scored a career high 34 points in the Minnesota State University Moorhead men's win over Bemidji State Saturday night. The Dragons, 17-5 and 13-5 in the NSIC, had to go into overtime to take the season sweep over the Beavers, 17-7 and 12-6 in the NSIC, with a final score of 84-77.
Before tonight's game, the Dragon men entered after winning six of the last seven matchups against the Beavers and four overall this season. The winner of tonight's matchup would take over third place in the Northern Sun.
Charlie Chapman picked up where he left off Friday night by making three-of-three 3-pointers in the first six minutes of play. Early back-and-forth scoring would be ended when senior
Xavier Reed hit a jumper from the right side followed by 3-pointers from
Andrew VanHavermaet and Chapman. Chapman's third 3-pointer gave the Dragons a nine point lead at 19-10. The duo of VanHavermaet and Chapman seemed to be having a 3-point contest as VanHavermaet scored on yet another shot from behind the arc.
DJ Hamilton, beginning a career scoring night, joined in on the 3-point action when he gave the Dragons a seven point, 31-24 lead with eight minutes to play in the first half. The Dragons soon followed by going on a 9-2 run over a span of three minutes. The final minutes of the first half resulted in back-and-forth scoring to set the halftime score at 43-35. The Dragons shot a solid 53.6% from the field and 70% from 3-point range over the first half to hold the eight-point advantage.
Hamilton sank the first basket of the second half and his third 3-pointer of the game by getting his defender off his feet and taking a nice step back shot. Chapman put in one-of-two free throws to score his first points since his early outburst in the first half and gave the Dragons a 12 point lead, 51-39. The two teams would match each other's scores over the next six minutes until the Beavers scored 14 unanswered points to tie the game, 57-57, for the first time since 17 minutes in the first half. The home crowd chants of “defense” with nine minutes left in the game contributed to the Dragons nearly 10 minute scoring drought.
Hamilton was able to drive to the basket for an and-one opportunity, which he missed, that Zach Noreen quickly answered to give the Beavers their first lead since early in the first half. Hamilton came right back and sank a finesse step back jumper to take the lead back, 61-60. Following one made and one missed free throw from
Alex Novak, who earned his second consecutive and seventh double double this season, the Beavers made a jump shot to go up 66-62 with two minutes left in regulation. A late offensive rebound from James Ellisor seemed to seal the game with a three-point lead but ending regulation the way he started, Chapman took a pass from VanHavermaet in the left wing and tied the game. Chapman's fourth 3-pointer of the game sent the NSIC matchup into overtime.
After Hamilton scored four of the Dragons' first six overtime points, the Beavers were able to tied the game at 74. With 48 seconds left in the game, VanHavermaet made his third 3-pointer on the night thanks to an assist from Reed. The young Jordan Reiwer was put in a tough situation at the free throw line with 13 seconds to go but converted both to seal the game. Hamilton made three free throws, two coming from a technical call on the Beavers head coach Matt Bowen, to seal the Dragons' 84-77 win.
MSUM finished the game 27-for-61, 44.3%, from the field, 10-for-20, 50%, from three, and 20-for-30, 66.7%, from the free throw line. Leading the Dragons in scoring was
DJ Hamilton (34) followed by
Charlie Chapman (17) and
Alex Novak (14).
UMD shot 28-for-70, 40%, from the field, 8-for-26, 30.8%, from three, and 13-for-20, 65%, from the free throw line. The Beavers were led in scoring by James Ellisor (24) followed by Dermaine Crockrell (20), Zach Noreen (15) and Lance Rongstad (12).
The Dragon men continue road NSIC play next weekend against the Warriors of Winona State and the Peacocks of Upper Iowa. MSUM will take on WSU on Feb. 17 and UIU the next night.
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game:
DJ Hamilton's 34 points was the first time a Dragon reached 30 since
Andrew VanHavermaet scored 30 in the Dragons 84-76 victory over Minnesota, Crookston on Jan. 16, 2010.
Dragons Preview Game Notes
