MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University had to shake off a slow start and fend off a hot-shooting Bemidji State team.

In the end the Beavers did just that, pulling away from BSU with superior balance and a career night from surging freshman Tyler Rudolph (F, Bismarck, N.D.) to defeat Bemidji 84-76 to earn a weekend sweep in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball home finale Saturday at the Minot State Dome.

"I thought the first half they (BSU) definitely played harder than us," said MSU head coach Matt Murken. "e didn't compete as hard as we needed to to win in this league. We have pretty mature guys and usually they believe me when I tell them we need to play harder.

"Second half, I thought we out-competed them for the most part. We're not a team that's good enough to just go out there and float around. We've got to play a little bit mean and a little bit nasty."

MSU (14-12 overall, 9-11) pulled to within a half game of Minnesota Duluth for the fourth and final home 38-32 at Northern State in a late start – next week in the regular season's final week.

The Beavers trailed Bemidji State (8-16, 4-16) by five at the break as BSU hit seven 3-points as part of its 39 points. MSU, meanwhile, woke up from a slow start to shoot a respectable 53 percent in the first half, but sizzled in the second half. MSU hit 16 of 23 shots after the break, including 5 of 8 3-pointers and went 13 for 14 from the line in the win.

Rudolph and Lamont Prosser (Sr., F, Fort Wayne, Ind.) helped Minot State to a 32-22 advantage in the paint as the duo combined for 37 points. Rudolph was all over the court as he finished with a block and a steal to go along with his first career double-double, scoring a team-high 22 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.

"Tyler's really helped us since he got healthy and got back," Murken said. "He's a tough nut. He plays hard, he likes to compete – he likes to practice. He's got a chance to be a good player just because he works hard. I thought he gave us a great spark today – had some rebounds, hit some big shots."

BSU finished with 12 3-pointers in the game, but went 5 for 11 in the second half.

On the MSU end, a 3-pointer proved to be one of the biggest points in the game as well as senior Thomas Korf (F, St. Cloud, Minn.) drilled a 3 from the wing to give MSU a 71-64 lead late in the game.

BSU had four in double figures as Christian Pekarek led all scorers with 24 points. He hit four 3-pointers and added five rebounds in the loss. Irvin Womack added three 3s and scored 15, while Elrod Clayton knocked down three more triples and 11 points.

Prosser finished with 15 points, three blocked shots and two rebounds for MSU. Korf added 14 points, four steals, a rebound and an assist, while Everett Robinson scored 13 points and added six rebounds, two assists. Finishing out the Beavers in double figures was Nathan Mertens (So., G, Devils Lake, N.D.) who had 10 points and dished out five assists.

"It's a great group. They are three guys who have scored over 1,000 points in their careers, but the thing that's been the biggest for them is they really believe in our program," Murken said of his senior class. "TK's (Korf) believed since the three years we've been here, Everett's believed for the year and a half that he's been here and Lamont's believed for the year that he's been here.

"When you tell them they need to do something – they listen. They don't always like it, but they do what you ask them and that's great senior leadership. I love those guys, because they've worked hard and made us better as a program."

The Beavers square off with St. Cloud State Friday and then take on the Bulldogs of UMD Saturday on the road.