MANKATO, Minn. – Minot State University – coming off a double overtime win at Concordia-St. Paul Friday – didn't have enough in the tank to topple Minnesota State on the road.

The Beavers played with the Mavericks for much of the first 30 minutes, but Minnesota State proved to have too much fire power and pulled away for an 81-62 win in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball Saturday at the Taylor Center.

"We got a win on a tough road trip. No one else in the league has won a game on this Friday-Saturday swing," said MSU head coach Matt Murken. "We played extremely hard both nights. I felt like we ran out of gas a little bit tonight in the second half. That's a very experience and talented basketball team. When we made a run, they answered."

The Beavers (12-12 overall, 7-11 NSIC) didn't have a great start, but got back into the game to trail just 38-31 at halftime. The Mavericks (18-5, 13-4) shot 52 percent in the first half and outscored Minot State 8-0 from the free-throw line as Minnesota State was 8 for 11, while the Beavers took just one free throw.

It remained around a 10-point cushion for the Mavericks much of the rest of the way, but they gradually pulled away. Minot State shot just 40 percent in the second half and finished the game with just seven free throws, making only three.

Minnesota State was paced by their dynamic duo of Assem Marei and Zach Monaghan, who scored 18 point apiece. Marei added nine rebounds and three blocks, while Monaghan finished with nine assists, four steals and three rebounds in the win.

Lamont Prosser (Sr., F, Fort Wayne, Ind.) had a solid night battling Marei, scoring a team-high 15 points and added three rebounds and two assists. He was 7 of 12 from the floor. Michael Pelo (Jr., G, Charleston, Utah) knocked down two 3-pointers for 10 points and Tyler Rudolph (Fr., F, Bismarck, N.D.) and Dominique McDonald (Jr., G, Raleigh, N.C.) scored nine each for MSU.

The Beaver are down to just four games remaining in league play. MSU returns home for two games at the Dome Friday against Minnesota Crookston and Saturday against Bemidji State.