MOORHEAD, Minn. – Shooting struggles in the first half spelled doom for the Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team in an 88-74 home loss to Minot State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Saturday at Nemzek Fieldhouse.
 
MSUM fell to 6-6 overall and 1-2 in the NSIC while Minot State improved to 8-1 overall and 2-1 in the league.
 
The Dragons shot just 26.8 percent (8-of-30) in the first half while Minot State shot 62.1 percent (18-of-29). MSUM faced a 44-26 halftime deficit as a result.
 
The Dragons cut a 21-point deficit to nine in the second half but got no closer.
 
Senior forward Gatdoar Kueth led MSUM with 14 points while junior guard Lorenzo McGhee, sophomore forward Dane Zimmer and freshman guard Jacob Beeninga had 11 points each.
 
Zimmer recorded his team-best fifth double-double of the season as he added 10 rebounds. Junior guard Gavin Baumgartner had two assists while Kueth had two blocks.
 
MSUM shot better in the second half, hitting 54.8 percent (17-of-31) attempts, to finish the game at 41 percent (25-of-61).
 
The Dragons never led in the game. After the score was tied at 2-2, Minot State went on an 18-8 run to push the lead to 20-10 with 11:20 in the first half. Minot led by as many as 20 in the first half and took the 18-point lead into halftime.
 
The Dragons chipped away at the lead in the second half and closed to within 72-63 in the second half after a Kueth basket. But MSUM would get no closer than nine as Minot scored six points in a row to extend a 74-65 lead to 80-65 with 2:49 left in the contest.
 
MSUM is on the road next weekend, starting Friday at Bemidji State.
 
Steve d'Eustachio Stat of the Game
Tonight's loss was the just the second home setback versus Minot State in 33 years and 1 day. The Beavers won 87-62 at MSU Moorhead on Jan. 5, 2018. Their only other win in Moorhead during this stretch was a 90-78 victory at Nemzek on Dec. 3, 1988.