MSUM Splits Basketball Doubleheader with Winona State

Women Lose 75-66, Men Win 74-58

Courtesy: MSUM Athletics

MOORHEAD, Minn. – A strong defensive effort helped the Minnesota State University Moorhead men’s basketball team earn a 74-58 win over Winona State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action Friday night at Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead.

MSUM, playing for the first time since Jan. 2, improved to 10-8 overall and 5-4 in the NSIC while Winona State fell to 10-7 overall and 6-5 in the league. It was the Dragons’ second win over Winona State this season, the first was a nonconference 76-67 win in November.

The Dragons held the Warriors to 37.9 percent (22-of-58) shooting for the game, including 10-of-29 in the first half which saw MSUM build a 14-point lead at one point.

Junior guards Gavin Baumgartner and Lorenzo McGhee led the way for the Dragons. Baumgartner had 21 points, two assists and two steals while McGhee had his first double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

MSUM slowly gained control over the final nine minutes of the first half, ending the half on a 22-12 run to build a 35-24 halftime advantage. Baumgartner hit a three with 56 seconds left in the first half to give the Dragons their largest lead of the opening 20 minutes at 35-24.

McGhee had nine first-half points while Baumgartner had seven.

The Warriors hit a three to climb within 39-30 early in the second half, but that was as close as they’d get. The Dragons would lead by as many as 21 in the second half on their way to the 16-point win.

Senior forward Gatdoar Kueth had nine points in 12 minutes for MSUM. Junior guard Bryce Irsfeld had three assists.

MSUM hosts No. 13 Upper Iowa at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Steve d’Eustachio Stat of the Game
This Dragons win, coupled with their 76-67 victory on Nov. 26, marks the first time the Dragons have beaten Winona State twice in the same season since winning 87-63 on Jan. 27, 1996, then 113-81 four weeks later on Feb. 24.

The Minnesota State University Moorhead women’s basketball team cut a 19-point deficit to two in the fourth quarter, but the rally fell short in a 75-66 loss to Winona State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action on Friday at Nemzek Fieldhouse in Moorhead, Minn.

MSUM, playing for the first time since Jan. 2 after having its last four games cancelled because of Covid-19 protcols, fell to 5-8 overall and 4-5 in the NSIC while Winona State improved to 8-9 overall and 5-8 in the league.

Sophomore guard Mariah McKeever led MSUM with 21 points, tying a career-high. She had 19 points in the second half alone. Junior forward Peyton Boom added a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. She was 7-of-11 from the field. Junior forward Shyanne Loiland had nine point and three steals.

After a sluggish first half, MSUM exploded in the third quarter for 29 points, outscoring the Warriors 29-17 to cut the 16-point halftime lead to four.  McKeever caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 13 points and hitting three 3-pointers. Boom added seven points as MSUM closed to within 52-48.

A McKeever three with 7:47 brought the Dragons within 56-54, the closest they had been since the first quarter. On its next possession, MSUM had a pair of three-point attempts to take the lead but neither fell.

The Dragons were within 62-59 with 4:00 left after an Emma Thuringer three but got no closer. The big shot for the Warriors was a three by Emily Kieck with 2:01 left to push the lead to 69-61.

Freshman guard Natalie Jens had three points and Boom two as MSUM took an early 5-2 lead, but Winona State ended on a 13-4 run to take a 15-9 lead after the opening 10 minutes. The Warriors added to the lead in the second quarter on their way to a 35-19 halftime advantage. The Warriors shot 48.3 percent (14-of-29) in the opening half.

MSUM shot just 29.6 percent (8-of-27) from the field in the first half, including 0-of-9 from three-point range. Boom led MSUM with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting while freshman guard Macy Holtz added four points off the bench.

The Dragons shot 54.5 percent in the second half which allowed them to cut into the lead.

Senior guard Aliyah Miller had three assists to lead the Dragons, who host Upper Iowa at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Steve d’Eustachio Stat of the Game:
The only other game played between the Dragons and Winona State on this date was when the Dragons posted a home 78-63 victory 16 years ago tonight. Current assistant coach Allison Swenson hit 10/15 shots from the floor and put up a game-high 22 points to lead her squad to its fourth consecutive win.