ABERDEEN, S.D. - Northern State won an important game over MSU Moorhead on Saturday evening, posting a 75-63 win.  With the teams battling for position in the NSIC standings, fans at Wachs Arena were treated to a thrilling game as the Wolves improved to 14-1 overall and 5-1 in the NSIC.  The Dragons fell to 10-3 overall and 3-2 in the league.  

The victory gave NSU head coach Don Meyer his 876th career win and ties him with the legendary Adolph Rupp for third place on the NCAA all-time win list.  It is the eighth straight win for Northern State, who is ranked 24th in the most recent Division II poll.

With the score knotted up seven times and the lead making eight switches, there was no lack of intensity or shifts in momentum in the first half of the game.  The Dragons took the first sizeable lead of the game, scoring seven straight points to take a 25-19 lead by the 8:15 mark.  The Wolves hit shots from around the court and also from the free throw line to tie the game 29-29.  

Robert Thomas gave NSU a huge shift in momentum, finishing a bucket after being fouled.  Thomas missed his free throw, but jammed in a Luke Wicks miss to put the Wolves up 35-29 with 3:24 to play.  The Dragons quieted the rowdy Wachs Arena crowd as Dwayne Hardy, Jr. completed an old-fashioned three-point play and Ryan Rozell sunk a three-point shot to get MSUM back to within a single point, 38-37 with 1:30 to play.  A Kevin Ratzsch jumper and Wicks three-pointer separated the teams once again.  The addition of a free throw gave the Wolves a 44-37 lead at the half.

Northern picked up the defensive pressure and held the Dragons without a field goal for more than five minutes in the second half.  A fourth long range shot from Wicks gave the Wolves their first double digit lead of the night but with the game resembling a street fight at times, MSU Moorhead managed to stay in the game and keep things interesting.

Justyn Burgess helped to narrow the Dragon deficit to five points, 58-53, with seven minutes to play.  Ratzsch and Levi Hamilton took over the scoring process for the Wolves, combining for NSU's next nine points while defensive boards on Dragon misses pushed Northern's lead back to double figures.  The game rounded out with MSUM fouls and the Wolves marked a 75-63 win.

Northern shot 47.3% from the field and out-rebounded the Dragons 39-37.  Ratzsch finished with 20 points and seven rebounds, while Luke Wicks also posted 20 points and dished out four assists.  Hamilton shot 7-of-10 from the field for 15 points and led the Wolves with nine rebounds.

Ryan Rozell topped all Dragons players with 18 points after hitting five three-pointers on the night.  Burgess had 14 points and was followed by Blake Strouth with ten points and seven rebounds.  Jamal O'Neal topped the MSU Moorhead roster with eight rebounds.  The Dragons shot 39.0% from the field.

Now tied with Rupp for third place with 876 all-time wins, NSU head coach Don Meyer is just three wins behind Dean Smith on the NCAA career wins list.  Smith recorded 879 wins in 36 years of coaching.  Bobby Knight leads all NCAA men's basketball coaches with 899 wins.

The Wolves hit the road next weekend in continued NSIC play.  They play at Bemidji State on Friday night and Minnesota, Crookston on Saturday.  Northern returns home on January 19th to host the University of Mary.