Aberdeen, S.D. – A 44-point second half comeback, pushed the No. 16 Northern State University men's basketball team over Bemidji State Friday evening from Wachs Arena. The Wolves downed the Beavers 75-54, improving to 9-1 overall and 3-0 in the NSIC.
The two teams traded buckets through the majority of the first half, with Bemidji State leading 32-31 as they entered the locker rooms. Northern stormed back in the second with 44 points offensively, in large part to senior
DJ Pollard with 12. Defensively the Wolves held the Beavers to just 22 in the final 20 minutes of action.
Northern shot 45.0 percent from the floor in the game, and 50.0 percent in the second half. They knocked down 7-of-21 from the arc, with five of those coming in the final 20 minutes. The Wolves out-rebounded the Beavers by one in the game with 34 total boards, including ten offensive grabs for 11 second chance points. They added 34 points in the paint, 12 points off turnovers, and 28 points off the bench. NSU racked up 15 assists and eight steals, while forcing 18 turnovers defensively.
Pollard led the team with 17 points, as the team's second half spark. The senior also notched a team leading eight rebounds, while dishing out two assists.
Carter Evans followed and led the team off the bench with 15 points and a team second best three assists. The Wolves big-man shot 70.0 percent from the floor, and added five rebounds, one steal, and one block. Logan Doyle was the final Wolf in double figures, with ten points shooting 55.6 percent from the floor.
Ian Smith also came on strong in the second half, notching eight of his nine points in the win. Smith added three assists, and a team second best seven rebounds. Gabe King and
Darin Peterka rounded out the starters with six and five points respectively. King dished out a team leading four assists, while Peterka notched a team leading four steals.
Justin Decker averaged a point a minute, notching four total in the win, while Andrew Kallman, Bo Fries, and Ethan Kranhold each notched three points. Cole Dahl tallied two assists for the team in nine minutes of play.
The Wolves return to action from Wachs Arena tomorrow at 6 p.m. against the Golden Eagles of Minnesota Crookston.
