SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Behind vise grip defense and an animalistic 13-point, 15-rebound performance from
Dane Zimmer, MSU Moorhead coasted past Sioux Falls in the NSIC Men's Basketball Tournament quarterfinal, 76-56.
MSUM would open up the game on a 9-2 run thanks to four early points from
Gavin Baumgartner.
Jacob Beeninga also nailed a three-pointer to help build an early Dragons lead. MSUM was also tough defensively, holding Sioux Falls without a field goal in the first five minutes. Beeninga would come out of the media timeout and make an and-one before making back-to-back threes to enliven the Dragons fans in attendance inside the Sanford Pentagon. Behind the sophomore's nine-point flurry, MSUM ballooned the lead to 16 points.
The Cougars would score their first field goal of the game with 12 minutes left in the first half. From there, Sioux Falls would build a 5-0 run midway through the half to bring the score to 25-9 in favor of MSUM. The Dragons would once again rely on their defense to slow the Cougars down, holding them scoreless for over six minutes with less than 10 minutes left in the half while also forcing five Sioux Falls turnovers. The Dragons led 37-9 with less than five minutes remaining in the first 20 minutes.
Although Beeninga and
Lorenzo McGhee would each pick up their second fouls, MSUM would remain in front thanks to a three from
Trever Kaiser that would answer a USF basket on the previous possession.
Jaden Stanley-Williams would nail another three for the Dragons thanks to some great ball movement that dissolved a Cougar zone. By halftime, the Dragons led 46-17 behind a 54.8 percent shooting mark from the floor. On the other side, Sioux Falls shot just 15.2 percent in the first 20 minutes.
While Sioux Falls would come out with a renewed sense of offensive firepower to open the half, MSUM would weather that storm to remain in front 52-27 five minutes into the half. The Coo would begin to stir midway through the half, trimming the Dragon lead to 21 points. Sioux Falls would hold MSUM scoreless for over three minutes in that same stretch.
MSUM would continue to maintain their distance from the Cougars as time waned in the second half. Back-to-back drive and scores from McGhee as well as a hammering and-one slam from
Dane Zimmer would swing the momentum in MSUM's favor. The dunk erupted the Dragon bench and came thanks to a lovely pass from
Jaden Stanley-Williams. Zimmer had a phenomenal game for MSUM, tallying 13 points and 15 rebounds.
Zimmer and McGhee would put the finishing touches on the game with two more and-ones for the Dragons. McGhee would drain a three with under three minutes remaining to end his day with 12 points on five of seven shooting.
The Dragons would go on to win the game 76-56. MSUM's lead would not drop below 18 points in the second half.
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Up Next
MSUM (23-6) will play tomorrow in the NSIC Men's Basketball Tournament semifinals against Bemidji State at 7 p.m.
