Box Score

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Northern State University senior Mitch Boeck drained six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 28 points, while junior Derek Hoellein added 14 points on four treys, but poor free throw shooting and 20 turnovers on the day scuttled their efforts as the Wolves dropped an 80-73 decision to the University of Minnesota, Crookston Sunday afternoon at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Holiday HoopsFest.  It was NSU's first loss to the Golden Eagles.

 

The loss is the second straight for the Wolves, who are now 3-2 on the season heading into next weekend's conference opener.  UMC, which had four out of five starters score in double figures, improved to 3-1 overall with the dramatic victory.

 

The Wolves led by as many as seven points with just over six minutes left in the first half, but watched the Golden Eagles erase that deficit to post a 5-point halftime lead and an 18-point advantage by the 11:42 mark of the second half.

 

NSU cut the deficit to single digits just two minutes later on three straight 3-pointers from Boeck and to just six points with 6:01 left in the game, but that would be as close as they would get the rest of the way.  The Wolves also made it a 6-point affair twice in the last two minutes, including with 15 seconds left on the clock.  A Matthew Heier free throw at the 0:14 mark, however, made it a 3-possession game and put the win safely in the hands of the Golden Eagles.

 

The Wolves, who entered the weekend as the league leaders at the free throw line, went just 3-for-11 (27.3 percent) from the stripe on Sunday, including 0-for-2 in the second half.  UMC, meanwhile, was 19-for-23 from the line and 4-for-6 in the final minute of play.

 

UMC was led by Akeem Cubie, who posted 20 points, 4 steals and a game-best 11 rebounds.  Demarius Cruz added 19 points, while Heier and Adam Hendricks chipped in 16 and 12, respectively.

 

NSU will look to rebound next weekend as they tip off the 2009-10 NSIC slate with a pair of road games at Wayne State and Augustana on Friday and Saturday, respectively.