MOORHEAD, Minn. – It was a battle between two of the top teams in the NSIC inside Nemzek Fieldhouse on Saturday night as the Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team outlasted Upper Iowa 93-85.
 
MSUM is now 20-4 overall and 15-3 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference following the win over Upper Iowa. The Dragons lead the conference by one game over Northern State and Southwest Minnesota State with four games left in the regular season.
 
The Dragons shot 50.0 percent (32-of-64) from the field, while the visiting Peacocks shot 46.5 percent (33-of-71). MSUM held the rebound advantage, 38-33.
 
How it happened…
The game saw the lead change 26 times in a shootout between the NSIC's best. Tied 83-83, junior guard Tanner Kretchman hit a spot up three putting MSUM up 86-83 with 2:01 remaining.
 
A steal from senior guard Aaron Lien led to a Kretchman layup, which led to a three-point play as he was fouled going to the rim, giving the Dragons a six point lead with 1:19 left in the game.
 
Upper Iowa connected on its next possession now down 89-85. After a missed Dragon shot the Peacocks missed a layup at the other end and Lien grabbed a hard rebound.
 
Some banter from the visiting head coach led to back-to-back technical fouls and a trip to the line for Lien who connected on four free throw attempts cementing the win, 93-85.
 
MSUM's biggest lead of the first half came early as they opened the game on a 10-5 run. Upper Iowa led for the majority of the first half, including an eight point lead with 7:36 to play, but only entered halftime leading the Dragons 47-45.
 
Impact Performances…
Lien finished the evening with a double-double, his first of the season. Lien scored 27 points and hauled in 10 rebounds, to go along with one block and one steal.
 
Kretchman added 21 points for the Dragons and racking up nine assists to just one turnover.
 
Sophomore forward Matt Anderson had a big night off the bench, igniting MSUM's offense in the back end of the first half. Anderson finished with 10 points, four rebounds and one assist.
 
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game…
Including tonight's win, the Dragons now own a six-game winning streak over Upper Iowa. Three wins have all come in the second round of the NSIC tournament at the Pentagon in Sioux Falls, two in Moorhead and one last season in Fayette, Iowa.
 
Up Next…
MSUM finished out its regular season home schedule with games against Bemidji State on Feb. 10 and Minnesota Crookston the following night on Feb. 11.