KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Minnesota State University Moorhead men's basketball team battled throughout Saturday afternoon's Central Region Challenge matchup against Pittsburg State. However, the Gorillas used a strong second-half effort to pull away for a 71-63 victory at Municipal Auditorium.
The Dragons came out with plenty of energy, building a 35-30 halftime advantage behind an impressive offensive performance. MSUM connected on 43.3 percent of its field goal attempts in the opening half, including seven three-pointers, to establish a five-point cushion heading into the break.
Isa El-Amin led the early charge, knocking down four three-pointers in the first half while helping the Dragons maintain control of the contest.
Pittsburg State (2-0) responded after halftime, however, outscoring MSUM 41-28 over the final 20 minutes to take control of the game. The Gorillas found success at the free-throw line, converting 23 of their 30 attempts in the second half to help erase the Dragon advantage.
El-Amin finished with a game-high 24 points to lead the Dragons, shooting 7-of-15 from the floor and connecting on four three-pointers. Kayden Nation and Nashawn Holmes added 12 points apiece, giving MSUM three players in double figures.
Nation was particularly effective from beyond the arc, knocking down three of his six attempts from three-point range. Adam Jenkins contributed five assists, while Lincoln Rogers provided a strong presence on the glass with nine rebounds.
MSUM finished the afternoon shooting 36.7 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range. The Dragons also shared the basketball effectively, recording 14 assists on 22 made field goals.
Pittsburg State was paced by Mason English, who scored 20 points, and Charles Caporaso, who added 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Up Next
MSUM (0-2) heads to Michigan for a pair of non-conference games next weekend. The two-game stretch begins against Wayne State University on Friday at 5 p.m.Â
