MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University again battled one of the top Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division teams on the road.
 
For the second straight night, the Beavers couldn't get enough stops down the stretch for the win.
 
Minot State gave up 17 3-pointers to Minnesota State University Moorhead in a 96-87 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball loss Saturday at Alex Nemzek Fieldhouse.
 
"MSU Moorhead is a good basketball team and we gave them all they could handle," said MSU head coach Matt Murken. "I give them (MSUM) credit, whenever they needed a bucked, they hit a tough shot. I'm not happy with the result of the game, but I am happy with the effort of our team."
 
The Beavers (4-5 overall, 0-3 NSIC) trailed by double figures early on as MSU Moorhead (7-1, 3-0) took a 38-25 lead with just 6:11 to play in the first half.
 
MSU battled back to make it a five-point game at halftime as Nathaniel Moore capped a 14-6 run to end the half with a steal and a layup just before the buzzer.
 
Tyler Rudolph gave MSU its first lead since early in the game with a jumper three minutes into the second half, but the Dragons answered with a 3-pointer two minutes later for a 49-47 lead. MSUM never relinquished that lead.
 
The 3-pointers was the primary weapon for the Dragons throughout the game, hitting 17 of 33 in the game. MSUM was 10 of 18 in the first half. Ayob Ayob sank five for 15 points and Tanner Kretchman added four on his way to 18 points. Aaron Lein led the Dragons with 19.
 
Rudolph paced the Beavers as he knocked down 26 points on 12-of-23 shooting. Luis Ricci Maia added 15 points and five assists, Nathan Mertens scored 14 and dished out six assists, Moore added 14 points and Russ Davis scored nine and pulled down a season-high nine rebounds. Minot State had a season-low four turnovers.
 
The Beavers return home for their NSIC opening weekend, battling defending national champion Augustana University Friday and Wayne State College Saturday. Tip off is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday and 6 p.m. Saturday
 
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.
 
– GO BEAVERS –