Box Score

MOORHEAD, Minn. – A day after snapping a seven-game skid with a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory over the University of Minnesota, Crookston, the Northern State University Wolves saw a chance at back-to-back victories slip through their fingers Sunday afternoon as they dropped a 72-71 heartbreaker to the Minnesota State University Moorhead Dragons.

NSU slipped to 6-8 overall and 2-8 in conference action with the loss while the Dragons bounced back from a Saturday afternoon setback to the University of Mary and moved to 8-5 on the season and 5-4 in league play.

The Wolves, who put all five starters in double figures, led early but fell victim to cold shooting and turnovers in latter portion of the first half.  The Dragons fought their way out of a nine-point deficit on the strength of three Jake Driscoll treys – counteracting a trio of Derek Hoellein 3-pointers – and 13 second-chance points to lead by six at the break.  MSU Moorhead's Andrew Van Havermaet drained a trey as time expired to send the Dragons into the locker room leading 43-37.

The Wolves opened the second half with an 8-2 run to forge another tie and set up a see-saw battle for the remainder of the night.  MSU Moorhead opened up a six-point on a couple occasions in the second half, but the Wolves kept it a two-possession game throughout.

NSU senior Tom Parks hit a pair of key three-point buckets late in the half to aid in that effort.  Both treys came as the Dragons built up five and six-point leads and kept the Wolves in the hunt.

Collin Pryor followed Parks' second trey with a pair of free throws that cut the MSU Moorhead lead to just one at 70-69 with just over two minutes left.  The two teams traded missed buckets on their ensuing possessions before DJ Hamilton hit a jumper with 46 seconds remaining to make it a three-point affair.

NSU answered with two more free throws from sophomore Dustin Tetzlaff and found themselves with two opportunities to steal away the win in the last 14 seconds of the game.  MSU Moorhead misfired on two attempts inside those 14 seconds and the Wolves cleaned up both defensive rebounds.  However, NSU turned over the ball on their first opportunity and couldn't get a jumper to fall with one second left on the clock on their second, leaving the Dragons to escape with the win.

Despite their late-game success at the free throw line, the Wolves hit just 54.5 percent (12 of 22) from the line throughout the game.  NSU also turned the ball over 15 times while amassing just 12 assists on 25 made baskets.

Tetzlaff paced the Wolves with 16 points and a game-best 13 rebounds.  Hoellein added 15 points on five three-pointers, while Pryor and junior point guard David Lane chipped in 13 and 12, respectively.  Parks' treys late in the second half allowed the senior to finish with 10 points, but the Wolves got just five points from their bench.

The Wolves did finish with nine treys and a season best 50 percent shooting effort from long range.  The nine three-pointers also matched a season high.

Driscoll scored a game-high 19 points to lead four Dragons in double figures.  Tarell Clark added 13, while Hamilton and Alex Novak put up 10 apiece.

The Wolves are back at it next weekend, returning home to face Minnesota State, Mankato and Southwest Minnesota State in another weekend of NSIC action.  Friday night's contest against the Mavericks will be carried live on Midcontinent Sports Net, tipping off at approximately 8:05 following the women's contest.  Saturday night's match-up with the Mustangs of SMSU is slated for an 8 p.m. tip, again following the women's game.