Bismark, N.D.. --- Minnesota State junior win Jefferson Mason recorded his 11th double-double of the season as he scored a team-high 17 points and hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds to pace the Mavericks to a 75-63 victory over the University of Mary Saturday afternoon.

The win give Minnesota State at least a share of the 2009-10 NSIC regular-season crown, its fourth conference title in head coach Matt Margenthaler’s nine years with the program.

The Mavericks still have a chance to win the title outright, depending on tonight’s match-up between St. Cloud State and Winona State, in Winona, Minn.  If Winona State wins the game, the Mavericks win the league, if St. Cloud State wins, both SCSU and MSU will be tied for the conference crown and the league will have to implement its tie-breaker formula to decide who earns the right to host the entire league tournament.

“We are the (NSIC)champions and they can’t take that away from us,,” said Margenthaler. “This was a team win, the guys made plays down the stretch to make sure we came away from this game victorious. We are 24-3 and these young men have a lot to be happy about.”

Neither team shot the ball well in the first half as the Mavericks took a 32-20 advantage into the break.  MSU shot just 36.7 percent in the first half, however a stingy Maverick defense limited U-Mary to 25 percent shooting.

The Mavericks would open a lead as large as 18 points with 12:06 remaining as junior guard Taylor Morrow drilled a three. 

U-Mary answered right back with a 9-0 run to cut the lead to double-digits, and would trim the lead to as little as seven with 3:42 remaining, at 64-57.

Minnesota State regained a double-digit lead when senior guard Jermain Davisconverted a traditional three-point play.  From that point on, MSU would sink 7-of-9 free throws in the final 101 seconds to ice the victory.

Mason finished the night shooting 5-of-12 from the floor, including 7-of-8 from the free throw line.  Senior center Travis Nelson added 12 points and eight rebounds, while Davis poured in 12 points.

Mason also dished out a team-high five assists, while Davis had four. 

After shooting just 36.7 percent in the first half, MSU shot a blistering 55.6 percent in the second half to finish the game connecting on 45.6 percent of its opportunities.

The Mavericks dominated the boards, outrebounding the Marauders, 46-34.  MSU’s bench ended the night outscoring U-Mary’s, 26-6.

Minnesota State (24-3, 17-3 NSIC) awaits its postseason opponent.  The Mavericks will open the 2010 NSIC Sanford Health Tournament Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.  Fans are reminded to stay tuned to wwww.msumavericks.com for more information.

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