MARSHALL, Minn. – MSU Moorhead men's basketball would conclude the 2023-24 regular season with a big road win over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday evening. The Dragons used late foul shots from
Dane Zimmer to surpass SMSU in overtime, 79-77.
It is the second time this season where the Dragons and Mustangs have played into overtime. MSUM defeated SMSU 88-87 on January 12.
The two teams would go back and forth in the early stages with a three-pointer from
JaMir Price giving the Dragons an early 10-7 lead. A defensive battle would ensue from there as neither team found their scoring groover with the Mustangs leading 16-15 midway through the first half. The Mustangs would continue to play more efficiently offensively as they would build a lead as large as nine points with just under five minutes to play.
Baskets from both Beeninga brothers and a dunk from
Jacob Jennissen helped MSUM cut into the deficit. The Dragons would whittle the lead down to as little as two points with three minutes left. MSUM would be held scoreless for the remainder of the half as Southwest Minnesota State would only muster three points in the same stretch. The Mustangs led 35-30 at the break.
JaMir Price led MSUM with 11 points while
Eddie Beeninga scored seven for the Dragons.
An and-one from Price to begin the second half helped boost MSUM out of the locker room. The Dragons would tie the game at 40 points each with just over 16 minutes left thanks to an and-one from
Dane Zimmer. Scores at the rim from
Ja'Kair Sanchez and
Logan Kinsey would give the MSUM back the lead, 46-45. Midway through the second half, the Mustangs had regained the lead, 54-51.
The Dragons would push back in front by three points with just over five minutes left following a jam from
Ja'Kair Sanchez. Price would score in the paint again and convert and and-one with just under five to go to keep MSUM in front 65-61. The Mustangs would swing back with just over two to play, regaining the lead 68-67. Sanchez would run down and immediately drain a three to move MSUM in front 7-68.
Southwest Minnesota State would even the contest at 71 points with 45 seconds remaining. While MSUM got a great three-point look as time was expiring, it did not fall and the squads would enter an overtime period. The Mustangs would begin overtime outscoring the Dragons 6-3 to lead 77-74 with just over two left in the overtime.
The ever-reliable
Dane Zimmer would convert a massive and-one for MSUM on the ensuing possession to pull MSUM even at 77. Both teams would have empty possessions down the stretch with SMSU missing a three with eight seconds remaining. Zimmer was fouled with just over six seconds left, sending the senior to the line for the potential game-winning free throws.
Zimmer would drill both foul shots and while SMSU had two chances to score on the following possession, the Dragons would hold on. The senior's free throws led the Dragons past the Mustangs 79-77.
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MSUM (22-4, 18-4) has locked up a first-round bye in the NSIC Tournament and will play at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 3 against either Winona State or Northern State.
