MINOT, N.D. -- For the second straight game, the bench played a huge role in a victory for the Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team. The Dragon bench outscored Minot State 61-17 in an 87-76 win over the Beavers on Saturday in Minot.
 
MSUM finished the regular season 16-11 overall and 11-7 in the NSIC. With the win, the Dragons clinched the No. 2 seed in the NSIC North which assures them a first-round bye in the NSIC tournament which begins on Wednesday. Minot State, which suffered its first home loss of 2021-22, fell to 15-9 overall and 9-9 in the league.
 
Freshman guard Jacob Beeninga led the Dragons with 20 points off the bench. Junior guard Trever Kaiser had 15 and senior forward Gatdoar Kueth added 14. Sophomore forward Dane Zimmer had 12 points for the Dragons, who outscored Minot State 56-39 in the second half after trailing 37-31 at halftime.
 
Junior guard Gavin Baumgartner had 10 points for the Dragons. Beeninga led with four assists and three steals as well.
 
The Dragons shot 54.5 percent (30-of-55) compared to 52.5 percent (32-of-61) for Minot. The Dragons hit 13-of-28 from downtown, however, compared to 4-of-15 for Minot.
 
The Dragons were down six at halftime but went on a 29-12 run over the first nine minutes of the second half to surge into a 60-49 lead. Seven different Dragons scored during that stretch, led by Kueth and Beeninga with seven points each and Kaiser with five.
 
MSUM never let the lead drop below eight the rest of the way, avenging a earlier home loss to Minot State, which dropped to the No. 4 seed from the north with the loss.
 
Freshman guard Gabe Myren had eight points and six rebounds for MSUM.
 
MSUM will be off for the opening round of the NSIC/Sanford Health tournament on Wednesday. They will play on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 1:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls. against the winner of the third seed from the south and six seed from the north.