KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fourth-ranked MSU Moorhead men's basketball used a balanced offensive attack and stout rebounding to handle Arkansas-Monticello on Sunday afternoon. The Dragons exterminated the Boll Weevils, 58-42 to conclude MSUM's games at the Central Region Challenge.
The Dragon offense would be on point from the jump as
Logan Kinsey would net a three to open the scoring. From there, MSUM began the game on a 14-2 run with Kinsey,
JaMir Price and
Jacob Jennissen getting in on the fun.
Levi Birkholz would drain a triple in the flurry as the Dragon were shooting 66.7 percent from the floor through seven minutes of play.
MSUM's defense was just as sturdy, holding Arkansas-Monticello to just two of nine shooting and zero for four from long range. At the midway point of the half, MSUM led 17-4 following a triple from
Jacob Beeninga. Price would drain MSUM's fourth three of the half to provide their largest lead to that point of 14 points.
The Weevils would pull within 10 points (21-11), but the Dragons would answer as Jennissen would convert on an and-one. With just under five minutes to play in the first half, MSUM led 26-13 as Jennissen led the way with nine points despite carrying two fouls. The 7-foot-1 Jennissen would then showcase his range, hitting a three-pointer to stamp out a 5-0 Weevil run.
Adam Jenkins would strike before the halftime buzzer to give MSUM a 37-23 lead at the break. Jennissen led the Dragons with 14 points, followed by Beeninga with six. Seven different Dragons scored in the half at a 56 percent success rate and five three-pointers. MSUM also held a plus-seven rebound advantage.
The Weevils would use a 6-0 run early in the second half to cut the deficit within single digits. However, a three from
Shaun Wysocki would rebuild the Dragon lead to 13 points with just under 15 minutes to play. Arkansas-Monticello would hold MSUM scoreless for over four minutes near the midway point of the half. A basket from Jennissen snapped the spell and positioned MSUM with an 11-point lead.
Wysocki would bury another triple out of a media timeout to keep momentum firmly with MSUM. On the defensive end, the Dragons held the Weevils without a point for over nine minutes of game action. In the interim, Wysocki earned a dunk while Beeninga scored to make the count 53-35.
Both offenses would be stymied in the final five minutes of play, but redshirt freshman
Tysen Gerads would score his first points as a Dragon in the final 90 seconds, including a late dunk. The Dragons would win 58-42 as Jennissen led the way with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. MSUM outrebounded the Weevils, 43-29 while eight different Dragons scored in the victory.
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Up Next
MSUM (2-0) gears up for the East-West Challenge next weekend. The Dragons will take on Black Hills State in Spearfish, S.D., on Friday beginning at 8:30 p.m.
