Box Score

Mankato, Minn. ---  Minnesota State senior guard Stephen Kirschbaum scored a career-high 22 points to lead the Mavericks to a 78-73 victory over the University of Mary Saturday night in the Taylor Center on the campus of Minnesota State University.

“We needed this one tonight,” said Minnesota State head coach Matt Margenthaler.  “We had a lot of different guys step up at key times and make shots for us and it was good to see us so balanced.”

The Mavericks opened the game with a 12-2 run as four different players scored in the first three minutes and 27 seconds.  The Marauders responded with an 11-6 run to pull within five at 18-13 before sophomore guard Travis Meinders scored eight of MSU’s next points to keep U-Mary at bay.

Following that point, both teams traded baskets as MSU opened a 44-34 halftime advantage.

The Mavericks set first-half season-highs in points scored (44), field goals (16), three-point field goals (5), field goal percentage (64) and three-point field goal percentage (83.3).

Senior guard Stephen Kirschbaum led MSU in scoring in the first half with 16 points, a mark that bested his previous career-high of 15.

U-Mary used a 12-2 run over 2:24 to pull within four at 54-50 with 13:48 remaining before Meinders drilled a three from the top-of the key to push the game back to a three-possession affair.

The Marauder’s answered on the ensuing possession when Damon Smith converted a traditional three-point play to trim the deficit back to four points.  After an MSU basket, Damon then pulled U-Mary within three at 60-57 when he converted a put-back with 11:02 remaining. 

U-Mary then rattled off three consecutive three-point baskets to earn its first lead of the night at 66-65 with 8:56 remaining.

The lead was short lived however as sophomore guard #Alex Hanks# converted a pair of free throws on the ensuing possession.  Both teams then traded baskets until freshman forward #Zach Romashko# tied the game at 70 with a free throw.

After a U-Mary basket, Romashko tied it again with a nifty reverse lay-up, knotting the score at 72.  The Blaine, Minn., native then hit a pair of free throws on MSU’s next possession, a possession which was awarded after Hanks drew an charge, giving MSU a 74-72 lead.

Both teams traded a free throw, giving MSU a 75-73 lead with 41.2 seconds remaining forcing a U-Mary timeout. 

Meinders gathered a steal following the timeout and found Whitehead, who was then fouled on his way to the hoop.  Whitehead hit both free throws to push the lead to four with 19 seconds remaining. 

The Mavericks then forced U-Mary to miss on its next possession as freshman forward #TJ Okafor# came up with the rebound and was fouled.  Okafor then hit one of his two free throw attempts with four seconds remaining to ice the victory.

Kirschbaum scored his 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-4 from the three-point line.  Whitehead also established a career-high with 17 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including a 7-of-8 mark from the free throw line.  Meinders tied his career-high with 15 points while Romashko added 12 points and a team-high six rebounds.

Minnesota State shot 51 percent in the victory.  The Mavericks forced just eight turnovers but turned those turnovers into 17 points.  Additionally, MSU won the battle of the glass, 31-22, including 10-3 on the offensive end.

U-Mary was led in scoring by Smith’s 20 points.

Minnesota State returns to action Friday when it travels to Bemidji State for an 8 p.m., contest against the Beavers.  The game will air on AM 1230 KYSM The Fan Mankato.

To listen to Coach Margenthaler following the game with Casey Lloyd, click HERE

Travis Meinders on the win: