LANCASTER, Texas – Minot State University shrugged off a cold shooting night in the season opener to .drain 33 of 40 free throws – 15 of 16 coming from Dominique McDonald (Sr., G, Raleigh, N.C.) – and the Beavers held a huge 41-29 advantage on the boards as the Beavers rebounded for a 78-65 win over Henderson State University in the NSIC-GAC Challenge Saturday.

The Beavers (1-1 overall) still didn't shoot the ball with great success, hitting 19 field goals on just 47 shots, but seven of those 19 were 3-pointers and MSU had a 33-17 edge from the line. McDonald scored 15 of his 19 points from the line, while Tyler Rudolph (So., F, Bismarck, N.D.) finished with six free throws for his game-high total of 21 points.

"The first win of the year always feels good," said MSU head coach Matt Murken. "We played with passion and energy tonight. Dominique and Tyler both played at a high level and we found a way to be plus-11 on the glass in the second half."

The Beavers finished with 13 offensive rebounds and limited Henderson State (0-2) to just 19 defensive rebounds in the game. The increased rebounding effort helped MSU turn a two-point deficit at halftime into a comfortable win. Minot State outscored HSU 42-27 in the second half.

"We have a long way to go as a basketball team but today was a step in the right direction," Murken said.

Rudolph had a great weekend, averaging a double-double as he had 14 total rebounds and seven on the offensive end to go along with 21 points. He shot 6 of 11 from the floor and make three 3-pointers, while dishing out two assists. McDonald added four assists and three rebounds to his 19 points.

Henderson State had three players in double figures paced by 17 from Kevin Kozan. Matt Panaggio added 12 points and five rebounds and Zydrunas Jugurtis finished with 10 points in the loss.

Winston Williams (Sr., F, Plainfield, Ill.) reached double figures for MSU with 11 points and added seven rebounds. Nathan Mertens (Jr., G, Devils Lake, N.D.) and Chris Davis (Sr., G, Colorado Springs, Colo.) chipped in with eight points apiece for the Beavers.

Minot State will get its first action at the MSU Dome on Wednesday with a nonconference game with old DAC rival Dickinson State as a part of the men's and women's double header.

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.