SIOUX FALLS, S.D.--The Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team survived a hard fought, high-scoring battle over Upper Iowa on Sunday afternoon. The Dragons outlasted the Peacocks 94-87 in an NSIC tournament quarterfinal matchup behind a season high 24 points from junior guard Tyler Vaughan and 23 points from sophomore guard Aaron Lien.
 
The Dragons managed to get to the free throw line 21 times in the second half, preserving a first half lead that was five points heading into halftime. Lien was 6-of-7 from the free throw line in the half, while senior guard Jordan Riewer was 6-of-6, and sophomore forward Matt Nelson was 5-of-6. Lien put the Dragons up for good after draining a three-point shot from the right wing with 1:20 left.
 
With the win, the Dragons improve to 31-2 on the season. MSUM will face the winner of St. Cloud State and Minnesota State Mankato in the semifinals tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. Upper Iowa falls to 17-13 to conclude its season with the loss. MSUM eliminated Upper Iowa in last year's NSIC tournament on Mar. 1, 2014.
 
MSUM shot 43.8 percent (28-of-64) from the field in the game and 40 percent (10-of-25) from the three-point line. The Dragons had 46 rebounds in the game, two shy of the season high.
 
Vaughan led the team with 24 points while grabbing seven rebounds, also a team high. Lien had 23 points and seven rebounds. Riewer had 16 points in the game and a team high six assists. Riewer was 8-of-8 from the free throw line in the game as well. Nelson provided big minutes off the bench, with nine points, six rebounds, and 7-of-8 shooting from the free throw line in 25 minutes of action.
 
Lien and Williams drove to the basket and converted layups on consecutive possessions in the early minutes of the game to give MSUM a 4-0 lead. Vaughan hit a three-pointer for his first bucket of the game with 9:08 left to give the Dragons a 28-22 lead. Vaughan started heating up after that moment, shooting 6-of-7 from the field and 4-of-5 from the three-point line to the tune of 17 first half points.
 
Lien grabbed an offensive rebound with less than a minute to play in the half, then converted a put back and a free throw for a three-point play to give MSUM a 51-46 lead heading into halftime. MSUM shot 50 percent (17-of-34) from the field and 42.9 percent (6-of-14) from the three-point line in the half.
 
The Dragons pushed its lead to nine points at 60-51 after a Vaughan layup, but the Peacocks decreased the lead to 3 after a 10-4 run at 64-64 with 12:11 left in the game. The two teams exchanged baskets for the remainder of the game, but Upper Iowa could not tie the score. The Peacocks came within two at 85-83, but Lien's clutch three made the margin too big to overcome.
 
MSUM now awaits the winner of St. Cloud State and Minnesota State Mankato. The semifinal game of the Sanford Health/NSIC tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Tyler Vaughan scored 24 points today with Aaron Lien pouring in 23. The last time two Dragons went for 20+ points in a playoff game was when Jordan Riewer scored 21 and Alex Novak chipped in 20 helping the Dragons defeat Southwest Minn. St. 87-78 in Moorhead on Feb. 27, 2013.