MOORHEAD, Minn.—The Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team lost a heartbreaker at home in the final seconds to Minnesota-Crookston on Friday night by a 68-65 score. Sophomore guard
Gavin Baumgartner led the Dragons with a career-high 31 points in the loss.
Bryce Irsfeld (2) had 12 points for MSUM. (Photo by Brook Manske)
The Dragons fall to 5-3 overall this season and 1-1 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. This marks the first loss at home for MSUM, and also snaps a five-game winning streak. Minnesota-Crookston improves to 6-2 overall and 2-0 in the NSIC.
Baumgartner finished 10-of-16 from the field, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Baumgartner also finished 6-of-7 from the free throw line.
Sophomore guard
Bryce Irsfeld was the only other Dragon in double figures, scoring 12 points. Sophomore guard
Siman Sem scored six points and led the Dragons on the glass with eight rebounds. Freshman forward
Dane Zimmer finished with eight points and seven rebounds.
MSUM shot 43.4 percent (23-of-53) from the field and 41.2 percent (7-of-17) from three compared to 36.7 percent (22-of-60) from the field and 32.3 percent (10-of-31) from three for the Golden Eagles.
The Dragons found themselves playing from behind midway through the first half, down 29-17. A Baumgartner jumper brought the Dragons within four with just under two minutes remaining and later the Dragons tied the game at 33-33 on a basket by sophomore
Wyatt Hanson. MSUM went into the half down 36-33.
A shot from Irsfeld midway through the second-half gave MSUM a 47-46 lead. With just over two minutes on the clock, the Dragons had their largest lead of the game at 65-61. The Dragons did not score again from that point, and a corner three from the Golden Eagles in the final seconds gave Minnesota-Crookston the win, 68-65.
MSUM looks to bounce back against Bemidji State on Saturday to conclude their seven-game homestand.
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game: Tonight's loss snapped the Dragons' 10-game home winning streak against the Golden Eagles dating back to UMC's season-ending 77-65 win on Feb. 28, 2009.
