MINOT, ND --Khari Broadway and Cam'ron Dunfee combined to score 35 total points - 63.6 percent of Minot State's points in a tightly contested game, but fell to the Minnesota State-Moorhead Dragons 57-55 at home Thursday in NSIC play.
 

Broadway with 21 points and seven rebounds and Dunfee with 14 points led The Beavers (10-15, 7-14) in double figures. Hollenbeck added to that with seven points and nine rebounds. Michael Jok (with 10 boards) also led Minot State with out-rebounding Minnesota State-Moorhead 31-29.  Dunfee had a shot to tie at the buzzer but his layup bounced in and out.

Defense wise, the Beavers held the Minnesota State-Moorhead shooters to just 33.8 percent from the field, including 23.8 percent from three-point range. The Beavers also kept Jacob Beeninga (with a season high of 36 points) to 4-of-15 shooting in the game. The Dragons did not get many second opportunities on the offensive end, as they grabbed only eight offensive rebounds and scored 16 second chance points while Minot State pulled down 26 defensive rebounds.

Despite the setback, the Beavers clinched an NSIC playoff spot on tie-breakers as St. Cloud State lost 99-81 to Bemidji State. Minot State next plays at regular-season champ Northern State on Saturday.

Coach's Comments
"You feel proud of the effort of your guys to be able to compete and be right there on the verge, but you've got to find a way to coach them better to put them in a position to win the game," Minot State coach Matt Murken said.

"I love the shot we got at the buzzer to tie the game," he added. "We got a layup from a senior on the team, a great shot right at the rim and it goes in and out; you can't fault the shot but you've got to finish the play and find a way to win in overtime."

How It Happened

It was a slow start to the first half with Minot State falling behind 11-7. The Beavers then went on a 7-0 run with 13:07 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Broadway, to take a 14-11 lead. The Beavers then surrendered that lead and entered halftime down 29-28.

Minnesota State-Moorhead kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing a 51-45 advantage before Minot State went on a 6-0 run, finished off by Ben Bohl's three, to even the score at 51 all with 3:46 to go in the contest. The Beavers could not turn their rally into a victory, as the Dragons outscored them 6-4 the rest of the way to hand Minot State the 57-55 loss. 
 

Game Notes

» The Beavers held the Dragons to only 33.8 percent shooting from the field.
» Khari Broadway, Cam'ron Dunfee, and Connor Hollenbeck combined to account for 76 percent of the Beavers points.

» Minot State lost despite a 31-29 rebounding advantage.

» Khari Broadway led the Beavers with 21 points.
» Minot State got a team-high 10 rebounds from Michael Jok.

This article was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.