MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University couldn't get a key basket or an equally important stop down the stretch.

The result was a frustrating loss.

Northern State rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final 6:38 of the game to earn a hard-fought 79-78 win over MSU in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball Friday in front of 1,413 fans at the Minot State Dome.

"I'm more concerned about the way we finished," said MSU head coach Matt Murken. "We didn't execute great down the stretch. We had some possessions there where we had some costly – very costly – turnovers. We definitely let one slip away where I thought we played a pretty good game."

The Beavers (9-6 overall, 4-5 NSIC) took a four-point halftime lead and after a back-and-forth first 10 minutes, looked to be pulling away behind key 3-pointers by Michael Pelo (Jr., G, Charleston, Utah) and Thomas Korf (Sr., F, St. Cloud, Minn.). The duo hit three – two by Pelo in a stretch that gave MSU a lead by as many as 11.

It was still 10 with 6:38 to play in the game after a pair of free throws by Everett Robinson (Sr., G, Grand Junction, Colo.). But NSU (13-2, 7-2) outscored Minot State18-6 capped by free throws by Seth Bachand with just 43 second to play to five the Wolves a 77-75 lead.

"Good speech, bad speech, doesn't necessarily matter, they've got to choose to be ready to play tomorrow," Murken said. "They've got to be mentally tough enough to have the same type of energy and intensity that we had tonight because we played a really solid game. We've got to find a way to do that on a quick turnaround now."

Minot State controlled a big stretch of the first half and built a lead only to see the Wolves close it late as well. MSU led by 10 with just 1:11 to play in the first on free throws by Tyler Rudolph (Fr., F, Bismarck, N.D.), but NSU rallied in that half as well.
The Wolves hit two 3-pointers late to cut it to just a four-point lead instead of the double figures.

"I thought we guarded well in the first half. At the end of the half we had an out-of-bounds play and a shot right under the basket that we missed – probably a better shot than what they had – and they come down and hit a contested three," Murken said. "I wasn't upset with the way we guarded that. They made a tough shot there. From there it was just a battle the whole game."

Northern State finished shooting 53.8 percent from the floor, hitting 14 of 24 shots in the second half. NSU was just 2 for 11 on 3-pointers before hitting those final two in the first half and ended going 7 for 19. Bachand finished with 17 points for NSU, while Tydan Storrusten finished with 14 in the win.

Robinson led all scorers with 20 points and added five rebounds and two assists for Minot State. Korf finished with 14 points, hitting 3 of 5 3-pointers, while Pelo added 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting on 3s. Lamont Prosser (Sr., F, Fort Wayne, Ind.) hit for 11 points and added three assists and three rebounds, while Dominique McDonald (Jr. G, Raleigh, N.C.) scored 10 points and dished out five assists for MSU.

The Beavers will have little time to dwell on the loss as No. 13 ranked Minnesota State University Moorhead invades the MSU Dome Saturday starting at 4 p.m.