Box Score
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A solid effort on the defensive end and a balanced offensive attack helped the Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team defeat Upper Iowa, 79-68, in the quarterfinals of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference/Sanford Health Tournament Saturday at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
MSUM improved to 21-7 with the win while Upper Iowa ended the season at 16-14. The Dragons will meet the winner of tonight's Winona State/St. Cloud State matchup at 2:30 p.m. on Monday in the tournament semifinals in Sioux Falls. Winona State and St. Cloud State will meet Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
The Dragons won for the fifth straight time in large part because of their defense. MSUM held the Peacocks to 68 points, 16 points below their season average, and a 35.9 percent shooting percentage.
"I'm proud of our defensive effort today," MSUM head coach
Chad Walthall said. "We beat a very talented offensive basketball team that challenges you constantly."
Five Dragons scored in double figures on the offensive end, led by juniors
Prescott Williams and
Urbane Bingham with 13 points each. Senior
Tarell Clark and sophomore
Tyler Vaughan had 11 points each while junior
Jordan Riewer had 10 points. Clark also led with eight rebounds and four assists.
MSUM shot 56.3 percent (27-of-48) for the game, compared to 35.9 percent (23-of-64) for Upper Iowa. The Dragons had a slight 36-34 edge in rebounds.
MSUM's defense was apparent early as the Dragons held Upper Iowa to just three points over the first eight minutes of the game. The Dragons built a 12-3 lead along the way, with three-pointers from Vaughan and Riewer leading the way.
Leading 14-7, MSUM went on a key 15-4 run to push the lead to 29-11 with 6:20 left in the half. Clark and Vaughan ignited the run with six points each.
The Dragons led 42-30 at halftime, led by 11 first-half points from Vaughan. The Dragons shot a solid 59.3 percent in the first half, compared to just 34.3 percent for Upper Iowa.
The Peacocks opened the second half on a 17-8 run to cut the MSUM lead to 50-47 with 14:40 left. That was the closest Upper Iowa – which never led in the game – would get, however as MSUM weathered the storm.
Leading 61-57 with 9:42 left, MSUM pulled away with a 14-5 run over the next eight minutes to build a 75-61 lead that was insurmountable. Sophomore Ngjiol Songolo led the way with five points while Williams had four as MSUM put the game out of reach.
Williams added three assists and two steals for MSUM. Senior
Taylor Filipek added seven rebounds.
Monday's game against the SCSU-Winona State winner begins at 2:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon.
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: The Dragons are now 5-3 in the NSIC playoffs under current head coach
Chad Walthall. Prior to his arrival, the Dragons were just 2-9 in the tournament from 2000-2008, only posting victories in 2003 at Southwest Minnesota State and versus Bemidji State.
