Box Score

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Minnesota State Moorhead, it seemed, had an answer for everything the Northern State University Wolves threw at them, including a last-second three-pointer from senior Justyn Burgess that lifted the Dragons from a 2-point deficit into the winner's column Wednesday night, as MSUM claimed a wild 80-79 victory over the Wolves in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball action.

The win was the Dragons' second over NSU this year, making them just the second team in the conference to claim a season sweep in the 2008-09 campaign.  Augustana College also laid claim to that feat with a win over the Wolves last weekend.  It also marked just the third time this season the Wolves have lost at home. 

NSU entered the night looking for redemption after suffering an 87-63 loss to the Dragons back on Jan. 30 in Moorhead.  The Dragons, meanwhile, came looking for a repeat.  In the end, time simply ran out for the Wolves.

NSU senior Kevin Ratzsch broke a 75-all tie with a pair of free throws with 37 seconds left on the clock, but MSUM freshman Jake Driscoll responded with two free throws of his own less than 10 seconds later.

Senior Kyle Schwan then put the Wolves back up by two with a mid-range jumper with just 10 seconds showing on the clock, and it looked as though the Wolves might escape with a desperately needed victory.

Burgess, however, had other ideas, as he took the ensuing possession and drained his second 3-pointer of the night to lift the Dragons to the 1-point advantage at 80-79.

The Wolves managed a desperation three-point attempt at the other end of the floor, but junior Mitch Boeck's buzzer-beating attempt rattled off the rim and bounced harmlessly away, leaving the Dragons, now 9-17 overall and 6-13 in league action, with the spoiler of a win.

Ratzsch had 26 points to lead four players in double figures for the Wolves.  The senior forward, playing the last game of his career in Wachs Arena, also snagged 11 rebounds to register his fifth double-double of the year.

Schwan, also playing his last career home game, added 13 points, as did sophomore Derek Hoellein off the bench.  Boeck finished with 10 points.

Burgess, the reigning NSIC Player of the Week, came off the bench to lead all scorers with 27 points.  Driscoll added 17, while Jerome Nelson and Andrew Van Havermaet chimed in with 13 and 10, respectively.

The loss, NSU's third straight, locks the Wolves into either a seventh or eighth seed in the upcoming conference tournament.  The Wolves now close out the 2008-09 regular season at Southwest Minnesota State, who, with a slim 54-51 win over Wayne State on Wednesday, is riding a 14-game winning streak.  The Mustangs, the 14th ranked team in the nation, retained the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Central Region rankings, which were released Wednesday afternoon.