MINOT, N. D. – The No. 6-ranked Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team defeated the Minot State Beavers by a score of 75-63 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play Friday night in Minot, N.D.
The Dragons are now 8-1 overall and 2-0 in the NSIC. The Beavers are 4-3 on the season and 0-2 in the conference.
Sophomore guard Tanner Kretchman posted career-highs in both points (18) and assists (eight) for MSUM. Senior guard Tyler Vaughan had 17 points and eight rebounds while senior center Isaac Sevlie added 12 points and eight total rebounds with five of them being offensive. Senior guard Ngijol Songolo also added 11 points. MSUM was 28-of-65 from the field shooting 43.1 percent while the Beavers shot 37.1 percent. The Dragons collected 49 rebounds compared to 35 for the Beavers.
Songolo came out strong in first half scoring eight of MSUM's first 12 points and giving the men a 12-11 lead with 15:09 left in the first. The Dragons trailed the Beavers by one before a three-pointer from Vaughan gave the Dragons a two point advantage with five minutes to go before the half. A layup from Kretchman with five seconds left gave MSUM a two point lead at 35-33 going into the half.
The Dragons struck first in the second half with a bucket from Sevlie and would take the lead for good at that point. The Beavers brought the game within one at 54-53 before a jumper by Sevlie and a three-pointer from junior forward Ayob Ayob gave the men a six-point lead. A monster block from Sevlie resulting in a bucket from Kretchman would give the Dragons a 12-point lead with just over three minutes remaining and MSUM controlled play from there. Junior guard Aaron Lien had four assists and a team-best two steals to go along with a team-high nine rebounds. The men are back in action Saturday afternoon at the University of Mary for another NSIC game beginning at 6 p.m.
The Dragons are now a perfect 8-0 versus Minot St. under Chad Walthall which is the most wins against a team without a loss. The next team the Dragons have defeated the most without a loss during the Walthall tenure is Monday night's opponent Mayville St. (4-0).
