MOORHEAD, Minn. — Junior guard Gavin Baumgartner scored a season-high 29 points to lead a Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball offensive barrage as the Dragons rolled past UMary, 89-60 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North action Saturday at Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead, Minn.
MSUM won its eighth straight game and improved to 8-2 overall and 8-0 in the north. UMary fell to 4-10 overall and 4-8 in the division.
Before the game MSUM honored its two seniors, Jake Mertens, top and Joe Sevlie, bottom, who were playing in their final home game.
Gavin Goes Off
Baumgartner started off the game on a torrid pace from three-point land. He had 18 of the Dragons' first 20 points, hitting 6-of-8 three-pointers to open the game in helping the Dragons take a 20-7 lead with 12:15 left in the first half. 
Baumgartner had 20 points in the first half and finished with a season-high 29, just two points shy of a career-high, on 10-of-15 shooting from the field. He finished 7-of-9 from three. The single-game three-point record for MSUM is nine held by Jordan Riewer.
More Balance
Including Baumgartner, MSUM had four players in double figures. Sophomore forward Dane Zimmer added 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting while junior guard Lorenzo McGhee had 11 points. Redshirt freshman Jacob Beeninga had 11 points.
McGhee led with four assists while Zimmer had seven rebounds. Baumgartner added six rebounds and three steals.
MSUM shot 55.9 percent (33-of-59) for the game, including 13-of-27 (48.1 percent) from three. UMary shot just 42 percent (21-of-50) for the game. MSUM had a 32-26 edge in rebounds.
Red-Hot from Three
Baumgartner was 6-of-8 from three in the first half, helping MSUM to shoot 76.9 percent (10-of-13) behind the arc in the first 20 minutes, on its way to a 50-32 halftime lead.
The Dragons led by as many as 24 points in the first half. Beeninga had eight points and Zimmer seven. The lead grew to as many as 41 in the second half.
Well Taken Care Of
MSUM's biggest advantage, besides three-point shooting, was in turnovers. MSUM committed just seven while UMary committed 14. The Dragons had a 25-9 edge in points off of turnovers.
Today's win marks the following firsts:
- 8 wins in a row (Nov. 18, 2016 - Dec. 10, 2016)
- 8 NSIC North wins in a row (Jan. 6, 2017 - Feb. 18, 2017)
- 8 NSIC conference wins in a row (Nov. 24, 2015 - Jan. 3, 2016)
- A perfect conference season at home (2014-2015; 11-0)
- 2 straight home wins versus UMary since winning 95-94 in overtime on Feb. 22, 2014, to clinch their first NSIC North title, and winning 81-63 on Dec. 6, 2014, to move to 10-0 in the 2014-15 season.
Up Next
MSUM battles No. 2 ranked Northern State in a battle for the NSIC North championship next weekend in Aberdeen, S.D.
