Box Score
MANKATO, Minn. -- The Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team cut an 11-point halftime deficit to one in the second half, but a 13-0 Minnesota State run midway through the second half proved decisive as the No. 7-ranked Mavericks eliminated the Dragons, 87-63, in the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament quarterfinals Saturday afternoon in Mankato, Minn.
MSUM's season ends with a 19-11 mark, while Minnesota State improved to 24-4.
The Dragons had three players in double figures in the game, led by senior
Anthony Tucker with 16 points. Senior
Alex Novak, who long with Tucker and Olson were playing their final games as a Dragon, had 13 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore
Jordan Riewer had 12 points and three assists. Olson had seven points in his final collegiate game.
Five Maverick players scored in double figures, led by Assem Marei with 16 points.
Mankato shot 54.5 percent (36-of-66) from the field, compared to 37.9 percent (22-of-58).
The Dragons were down 43-32 at halftime but opened the second half with a 10-0 run to climb within 43-42 with 17:07 left. Tucker had five points, including a three, while Riewer also drained a three.
Mankato pushed the lead back to 54-44 with 13:50 left, and the Dragons were within 58-50 with 11:20 left. However, the Mavericks went on the crucial 13-0 run over the next four minutes to build a 71-50 lead with 7:40 left. MSUM went cold offensively during that time, going without a point for 4:36. The Dragons never got closer than 18 the rest of the way.
MSUM got off to a good start in the game, opening on a 13-7 run over the first 3:48. Riewer was the early catalyst with six points on two 3-pointers, while Olson converted a three-point play.
The Dragons led 28-22 at the 9:21 mark after sophomore
Evan Holt hit a pair of free throws. The Mavericks, however, outscored MSUM 21-2 over the next 7:22 to surge into a 43-30 lead. The Dragons trailed 43-32 at halftime.
Holt added eight points off the bench for MSUM, which was outrebounded 39-29 and also lost the turnover battle (15-9).
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Today marked the just the fifth time in the 88 years of the program, that the Dragons played at least 30 games in a season. Roy Domek's Dragons went 4-29 in 1952/1953, Dave Schellhase's Dragons went 21-9 in 1979-1980 and 24-7 in 1981-1982, then the Dragons went 21-10 last year and 19-11 this season.
