Box Score Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State men's basketball team saw its NCAA Tournament run come to an end Tuesday evening as it fell to the Winona State Warriors 76-73 in overtime.

With the loss, MSU wraps up its season with a 28-5 record, while the Warriors advance to the NCAA Elite Eight with a 27-7 record.
Both teams proved evenly matched throughout the first 40 minutes as neither team led by more than six points during the entire game. The game was knotted up a total of 12 times, while the lead changed hands 20 times.

With 7:51 left in the second half both teams were tied at 51. MSU hit a pair of shots to take a five-point lead, only to have Winona State reclaim the lead at 61-60 with 2:03 left on the clock. A pair of free throws from sophomore Assem Marei and freshman Jaymeson Moten gave the Mavericks a three-point lead at 64-61 with 42 seconds left on the clock.  

Winona State answered with a three-point play from Xavier Humphrey to knot up the score at 64 to send the game into overtime.

The lead changed hands a total of seven times in the overtime session as neither team was able to build a lead larger than three points. MSU took a one-point lead after a pair of free throws from Connor O'Brien with 54 seconds remaining, but a jumper from Grant Johnson and a pair of free throws from Humphrey iced the game for the Warriors as they claimed the 76-73 win.

Marei led the Mavericks with 21 points and eight rebounds, while senior Jarvis Williams added 15 points, while shooting 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. Junior Gage Wooten added 11 points, while sophomore Zach Monaghan passed out a game-high eight assists.

As a team, MSU connected on 22-of-55 (.400) shots from the field and hauled in 35 rebounds. The Mavericks also forced 11 Warrior turnovers and passed out 12 assists.

Clayton Vette, who was named the Central Region’s Most Outstanding Player, finished the night with a game-high 22 points, to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Taylor Cameron added 15 points and eight rebounds, while Humprey posted 11 points.

The Warriors finished the night shooting 29-of-56 (.518) from the field, including a 6-of-14 (.429) showing from beyond the arc.
 
NCAA Central Region All-Tournament Team
Clayton Vette (Most Outstanding Player) – Winona State
Jarvis Williams – Minnesota State
Taylor Cameron – Winona State
Assem Marei – Minnesota State
Cameron McCaffrey - Augustana