Marshall, Minn. – A 19-1 lead in the opening seven minutes of action, led to a 96-86 victory for the Northern State University men's basketball team over Southwest Minnesota State. The Wolves improved to 16-6 overall and 12-4 in league action returning the favor to the Mustangs on their home court, as NSU fell in non-conference action in November.
NSU tallied 48 points in each half, and held off an SMSU comeback in the second. Northern shot 55.4 percent from the floor, 60.0 percent from the arc, and 56.4 percent from the foul line in the win. Defensively they held the Mustangs who shot 44.0 percent from the floor, 32.1 percent from the arc, and 57.9 percent from the foul line. The Wolves also tallied 36 points in the paint, 14 points off turnovers, 11 second chance points and nine points off the bench.
All five Northern starters scored in double figures led by
Ian Smith with 21 points. Smith also notched a team leading four assists alongside
DJ Pollard.
Logan Doyle was second on the team with 20 points, followed by
Mack Arvidson with 18. Pollard and
Gabe King rounded out the starting five with 15 and 13 points respectively. Pollard tallied a team high nine rebounds and four assists, followed by Doyle with eight rebounds and two assists.
Carter Evans was the leading scorer off the bench for the Wolves with four points. He was followed by
Bo Fries and
Jonny Dahl with three and two points each. Fries also notched a team second best two assists, while King tallied a team leading three steals. King also led the team from the floor shooting 83.3 percent from the floor.
The Wolves notched 12 made 3-pointers as a team, with four players notching multiple. Arvidson led the pack with four, while King tallied three. NSU out-rebounded SMSU by just one in the game with 39 total, including 12 offensive and 27 defensive. Eight different Wolves grabbed a board in the win, with seven recording two or more.
Northern will return home next weekend for the annual I Hate Winter festivities. The Wolves will face off against Upper Iowa and Winona State on Friday and Saturday from Wachs Arena.
