MOORHEAD, Minn. – Six Minnesota State University Moorhead players scored in double figures to help the Dragons survive neighboring rival Concordia College 90-82 in nonconference men's basketball Tuesday night in Moorhead, Minn.
MSUM, which is ranked No. 9 in the initial NABC Division II poll, is now 5-1 overall while the Cobbers are 1-1.
Junior forward Ayob Ayob had his first career double-double for MSUM with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Senior forward Isaac Sevlie had 18 points while sophomore guard Tanner Kretchman had 15 points. Junior forward Aaron Lien had 14 points and five assists while senior guard Ngijol Songolo had 11 points. Junior guard Arroyo Edwards had 10 points. Sevlie had three blocks.
The Dragons shot 55.9 percent (33-of-59) compared to 45.5 percent (30-of-66) for the Cobbers. MSUM won the rebounding battle 42-31. The Dragons led for 36:15 of the game while the Cobbers led for 39 seconds.
The biggest lead for either team was nine points. The game was tied at 19-19 with 11:47 left in the opening half before MSUM went on a 12-4 run to take a 31-23 lead with 8:58 left in the half. Kretchman and Lien both buried threes during that stretch.
The Cobbers cut the lead to 43-42 late in the half. MSUM took a 48-44 lead into halftime. MSUM shot 57.6 percent (19-of-33) in the first half while the Cobbers hit 45.5 percent (15-of-33).
The Dragons led the entire second half, although the Cobbers closed within one point on a pair of occasions. MSUM held a 68-66 lead with 8:02 left but scored eight of the next nine points to take a 76-67 lead with 5:40 left. Ayob sparked the run with five points while Edwards had three.
Concordia was as close as five in the final minute, but the Dragons went 3-of-4 from the line in the final 33 seconds to secure the eight-point win.
MSUM begins Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play on Tuesday, Nov. 24 against Northern State. The game, part of a women's/men's doubleheader, is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m.
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: The Dragons have not lost a non-conference game at home since dropping a 54-53 decision to the Cobbers on Nov. 24, 2009.
