MAYVILLE, N.D. – Minot State University weathered the storm in the first 10 minutes of the game.

Mayville State jumped out to a 39-29 lead early, but a steady dose of Anthony Enriquez (Jr., G, Tacoma, Wash.), Jason West (Sr., G, Lompoc, Calif.) and Nathaniel Packineau (Sr., G, Parshall, N.D.) spurred the Beavers to the win.

Minot State outscored the Comets 67-46 after the 10-point deficit and 51-41 in the second half as the Beavers evened their conference record, winning 96-85 in Dakota Athletic Conference men's basketball Friday at the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.

“We talked to the guys before the game and said if we consider who we are and what we are about as a team, this is a team we should beat. That's not putting them down,” said MSU head coach Peter Stewart. “They came out and shot the lights out early and we had to keep out composure. We fought back into it.”

MSU (5-5 DAC, 11-13 overall) closed the early gap just about as quickly as Mayville built it as West and Enriquez hit baskets to tie the game at 43. West completed the comeback with a steal and a hoop right before the first half buzzer to give Minot at 45-44 halftime lead.

“Westy made a heck of a play. He and another player doubled them up and he got the steal and a layup,” Stewart said.

In the second half, it was Packineau early on. The senior knocked down two big 3s to push the Beavers lead to double figures. Packineau finished with three 3-pointers, 20 points overall and added three rebounds and two assists.

“I thought Pack took over in the second half for us,” Stewart said. “When he gets going he wants the ball and the fun part of this group is we are getting some looks between each other on the court like 'let's get it done.' When he gets going, we are setting the extra screen and guys are getting him the ball.”

But it was the play by Enriquez that made the difference. He finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists all off the bench to give the Beavers a big lift.

“He was embarrassed after the play against Jamestown – and not a woe-is-me either,” said Stewart. “The ball was out of his hands right away and he made the pass tonight. He has done a great job of stepping up since that play.”

The Comets (2-7, 8-14) hit seven first half 3s, but cooled off in the second. MaSU was held to 41.5 percent from the floor after the hot start. Bryen Pyles led the way for Mayville with 18 points and four 3s, while Sean Greene added 16. Shavontae Samuels, the league's leading scorer, hit for 13 – seven under his season average.

West was his usual solid self as he scored 25 points, added six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Bojan Janjic (Sr., G, Kikinda, Serbia) added 12 points and five rebounds and Jonas Pollard (Jr., G, Mesa Ariz.) finished with nine points. But Stewart was equally pleased with the play of Gary Heitkamp (So., F, Minot, N.D.),  Kelvin Fraser (Jr., F, Brooklyn, N.Y.), Shawn Storseth (Jr., F, Burlington, N.D.) and Cam Malzer (R-Fr., G, Turtle Lake, N.D.), who only combined for six points and nine rebounds as a group.

“We had to leave our leading scorer Kal Bay (Sr., G, Chandler, Ariz.) home for treatment with a freak accident. He went to kick a ball in the locker room and it was filled with 18 pounds of sand,” Stewart said. “But the team needed to respond. We got good minutes from Gary, Cam and Shawn.”

MSU finishes the final regular season road trip with a game at Dakota State Saturday at 6 p.m.