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ABERDEEN, S.D. – A late surge that featured back-to-back three-pointers and one conventional three-point play combined with 11-of-25 shooting from long range allowed the 19^th-ranked Minnesota State Moorhead Dragons to escape Wachs Arena with an 81-74 victory over the host Northern State Wolves Sunday afternoon in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball action.
 
NSU, hosting its second top-20 team in six days, saw its three-game win streak to start the new year snapped, falling to 9-5 overall and an even 5-5 in the loop.  The Dragons, who dropped their first game of the year last night at U-Mary, avoided back-to-back losses with Sundays victory and improve to 12-1 overall and 8-1 in league play.
 
The Dragons took the lead early in the first half and held onto it through much of the game.  NSU tied it twice in the early going of the second half and again with 10:56 left in the game on a Trent Zomer trey that made it a 54-all game.
 
MSU Moorhead regained the upper hand two possessions later on a Charlie Chapman trey, one of his three on the day.  The Wolves kept things to a one-possession matter until the hot-handed Dragons scored nine points in 35 seconds to stretch the lead to double digits.  Jake Lindfors drained a trey from the top of the key to make it a four-point difference at 62-58, followed by a DJ Hamilton trey off an NSU turnover.
 
Seconds later, Hamilton scooped up another NSU turnover and went coast-to-coast for the lay-up, foul and ensuing free throw that turned what had been a four-point differential into a 68-58 Dragon advantage.
 
The Wolves would not get closer than four the rest of the way, as the Dragons converted on free throws down the stretch to hold off the NSU attack.
 
Hamilton, Chapman and fellow starter Jordan Riewer combined to go 7-for-14 from long range and accounted for 55 of the team's 81 points, led by Hamilton's 24.  Champman had 18 points and five assists, while Riewer scored 13 points before fouling out of the contest.
 
NSU was led by Dustin Tetzlaff's game-best 26 points, one shy of his career best.  He also had five rebounds and five assists to go along with three steals and a block.  Collin Pryor added 11 points and four rebounds before leaving the game with an injury midway through the second half.  Alex Thomas added ten points and teamed with Tetzlaff and reserve forward Seth Bachand to go a combined 15-for-15 from the free throw line.
 
Bachand scored nine points off the bench for the Wolves before also fouling out of the game.
 
Sunday's games round out a four-game home stand for the Wolves, who take to the road for their next two games at Minnesota State and Southwest Minnesota State on Friday and Saturday, respectively.  Game time is set for 8 p.m. on both nights, as the whole of the NSIC returns to routine weekend schedules.