BISMARCK, N.D. -- Kody Dwyer totaled 24 points and Max Cody added 21 and the Minot State men's basketball team knocked off the Mary Marauders 76-69 on the road Friday. The victory for MSU clinched a spot in the NSIC tournament for the Beavers.
 
Dwyer and Cody's stellar scoring performances led the Beavers (7-6, 5-4) in the contest. Dwyer tacked on eight rebounds and Cody added seven assists and two steals. Melvin Newbern also helped out with 10 points and six rebounds.
 
Minot State took advantage of fantastic ball movement in Friday's game, piling up 19 assists on 30 made field goals. Cody's seven assists paced the Beavers and Cam'ron Dunfee also contributed with four assists of his own.
 
Minot State forced 13 Mary turnovers while committing just seven themselves in Friday's game. The Beavers turned those takeaways into 20 points on the offensive end of the floor. Cody's two steals led the way for Minot State.
 
How It Happened
After falling behind 17-6, Minot State went on a 6-0 run with 13:11 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Steven Ross, Jr., to narrow its deficit to 17-12. Mary answered back and added to its lead, leaving the Beavers down 39-33 entering halftime.
 
Minot State narrowed its deficit to 67-66 before going on a 7-0 run, finished off by Newbern's jumper, to seize a 73-67 lead with 35 seconds to go in the contest. The Beavers kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 76-69 win. Minot State took care of business in the paint, recording 22 of its 43 points in the lane.
 
Game Notes
» Minot State tallied 19 total assists in the game.
» Dwyer, Cody, and Ross Jr. combined to account for 75 percent of the Beavers points.
» Minot State had a 30-27 edge on the boards in the win.
» The Minot State defense forced 13 turnovers.
» Minot State turned the ball over seven times while dishing out 19 assists.
» Dwyer had a game-high 24 points and Cody added 21.
» Minot State got a team-high eight rebounds from Dwyer.
 
The Beavers are back in action tomorrow for the regular-season finale at UMary. The Beavers and Marauders will tip-off at 4 p.m.