Box Score SPEARFISH, S.D. – Minot State University looked like it needed just one big basket down the stretch to knock off No. 2 seed Lindenwood University.

As it turned out, the Beavers needed two.

MSU's Thomas Korf (R-Fr., F, St. Cloud, Minn.) hit a big 3-pointer with just over six minutes to play to give MSU a 50-47 lead, but Lindenwood countered with two straight 3s to pull out a 65-54 win over MSU in the first game of the NCAA Transitional Tournament at the Donald Young Center.

“Unfortunately, we find ways of not getting it done,” said MSU head coach Peter Stewart. “We are very proud of them and how they played and there really is nothing we can do, we just don't have the experience on the floor.

“Now they have seen it and have experienced it. We need to figure out how to win. We will have the offseason figure that out and get better.”

The Beavers (3-24 overall) trailed by 2-5 points much of the second half, looking like they wouldn't get that one key basket. But Korf caught fire midway through the second half, knocking down three straight 3s – and five for the game – to give MSU the lead.

Lindenwood (27-3), however, held the Beavers to just four points and got two 3s on back-to-back possessions pull away. Tyler Ressel started the barrage to tie it at 50 and Cody Sorenson hit the second to give the Lions at 53-50 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

MSU trailed by three at halftime and stayed between one and two possessions behind in the early part of the second half behind nine early points by Josh Johnson (Jr., F, Lufkin, Texas).

“They are a very good basketball team, they are 27-3 and we had a chance to win it down the stretch,” Stewart said. “We aren't there yet, but we are going to be. We have to learn how to complete games, but we will learn to.”

But Lindenwood always had the counterpunch.

More often than not, it came from Kramer Soderberg who finished with a game-high 32 points. Soderberg was 14 of 17 from the free-throw line, many coming down the stretch when the Lions extended their lead and dished out five assists. Sorenson hit three 3s to get him to 11 points, while he, Garrett Reeg and Efkan Eren all pulled down six rebounds to pace Lindenwood.

Korf led the Beavers with 18 points, knocking down six 3-pointers in the game. Johnson and  Chris East (So., G, Toronto, Ontario) added 13 points each, while East pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Beavers will look to extend their season Friday in a loser out game, facing either South Dakota Mines or the University of Sioux Falls, which play the late game Friday.