Box Score Duluth, Minn. --- The eighth-rated Minnesota State men’s basketball team closed the books on a perfect  road trip Saturday evening as it defeated the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs 73-65.

With the win, MSU extends its winning streak to nine games and is now 15-1, with an 11-1 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference record. 

The win also marks the 1,200th win in the history of the Minnesota State men’s basketball program.

The game remained close well into the second half, as the Bulldogs held a 50-48 lead. MSU would then go on a 12-0 run to pull ahead by 10 at 60-50. UMD managed to get back within five points on two occasions, but the Bulldogs would get no closer as the Mavericks closed out the game with a 73-65 win.

Sophomore Assem Marei led all scorers with 19 points, while junior Connor O'Brien and sophomore Lucas Brown added 12 points each. Junior Jimmy Whitehead added 11 points as well.

As a team, MSU connected on 28-of-54 (51.9%) shots from the field and 14-of-19 (73.7%) attempts from the charity stripe. The Mavericks also tallied 36 points in the paint and 19 points off of 14 UMD turnovers.

Reece Zoelle led UMD in scoring with 16 points, while Brett Ervin added 14 points.

The Mavericks controlled the majority of the first half as they led by as many as seven points during the opening frame. Marei led all scorers with 11 points, while Brown and freshman Jaymeson Moten tallied six points each.

As a team, MSU shot 14-of-28 (50%) from the field and was a perfect 5-of-5 from the charity stripe.
Jake Hottenstine and Brett Ervin led the Bulldog offense with nine points each. 

The Mavericks return to action Friday as they host the Wayne State Wildcats. The opening tip is set for 8 p.m.
                                                                             
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