Box Score Mankato, Minn. – The 16th-rnaked Minnesota State men’s basketball team opened the lid on the 2011 calendar year with an 86-74 victory over MSU Moorhead behind a season-high 27 points by senior wing Jefferson Mason.
Mason – who connected on 9-of-12 opportunities from the floor – shot 8-of-10 from the charity stripe and hauled in a game-high seven rebounds and four assists.
MSU Moorhead – who made eight field goals in the first half, six of which were three-point baskets – opened an 11-5 lead before both teams traded baskets until eventually the Mavericks took a 20-19 advantage with 11:28 remaining in the first half thanks in part to a putback off the finger tips Mason.
From that point on, the Maverick defense went into shutdown mode, limiting the Dragons scoreless over a span of six minutes and 37 seconds. During that time, MSU used a 15-2 run to open a double-digit lead and never look back.
The run was spurred by five points by redshirt freshman Jimmy Whitehead all of which came in transition, including a nifty traditional three-point play.
The Maverick defense re-emerged late in the first half as it limited the Dragons without a field goal over the last 4:19 en route to opening a 45-29 advantage at the break.
Minnesota State shot 51.6 percent in the first half while limiting MSUM to just 38.1. Mason led all scorers in the first half with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
“Once our guys sat down and defended it opened things up for us,” said head coach Matt Margenthaler. “We are squad that loves to get out and run and our defense allowed us to do that tonight.”
The Mavericks cooled off in the second half, shooting only 39.3 percent from the floor, however continued to maintain pressure as they opened their biggest lead of the game at the 7:55 mark at 72-51.
Minnesota State finished the game connecting on 45.8 percent of its opportunities while MSU Moorhead hit on 51 percent, thanks in part to a 60.7 percent clip in the second half.
The Mavericks won the battle of the boards, 35-29, including 11-7 on the offensive end and MSU shot 24-of-28 (85.7 percent) from the stripe, season-high.
Senior guard Marcus Hill added 16 points and a game-high five helpers to round out the Mavericks in double-figures.
Minnesota State forced 17 turnovers turning them into 25 points.
The Mavericks (10-1, 6-1 NSIC) host Minnesota, Crookston, tomorrow night at 8 p.m.
To view the box score, click HERE
To listen to Coach Margenthaler post game with Casey Lloyd, click HERE
Redshirt freshman Jimmy Whitehead talks about the win:
