MANKATO, Minn. --- It was a back and forth contest Friday evening in Taylor Center, but it was Bemidji State that was able to come away with the 75-74 overtime victory against Minnesota State in Taylor Center.
With the loss, the Mavericks fall to 11-5 on the season, including a 6-4 NSIC record. With the win, the Beavers improved to 8-7, including a 5-6 league record.
The first half saw a close contest as neither team led by more than five points through the first 20 minutes of play. Bemidji State was able to build a pair of five-point leads early on, but the Mavericks were able to pull even with the Beavers at 20 with 10:27 to go in the half.
MSU managed to get ahead 34-30 with 4:12 to go, but BSU managed to get the final four of the half to pull even with the Mavericks at 34 heading into the locker room.
Junior
Jon Fuqua led all scorers in the first half with 10 points, while senior
Jalen Pendleton notched seven points and four rebounds. As a team, MSU shot 41.9% from the field in the first half, to go with 19 rebounds and six assists.
Ben Best led the Beavers with nine points in the first half, while Calvin Harrington added eight points and five rebounds. As a unit, BSU shot 48.3% from the field, to go with 15 rebounds.
The second half saw the Mavericks jump out to a 45-36 lead with 16:44 remaining in the second half. The Beavers would chip away at MSU's lead, and eventually retook the lead at 60-59 with 5:03 remaining.
The lead would change hands five more times in the final five minutes as MSU held a 66-64 lead with 17 seconds left. An MSU foul sent Harrington to the line shooting two. Harrington, who connected on both free throws to knot up the score at 66. MSU had one last chance to win it in regulation but Pendleton's jumper rimmed out.
Pendleton notched 10 points in the second half, while senior
Snoop Viser and freshman
Joey Witthus tallied seven points each in the second frame. Harrington led the Beaver offense in the second half with nine points.
As in the prior 40 minutes, the overtime session saw several lead changes as neither team led by more than three points. MSU managed to build a 74-71 lead with 36 seconds left, but a pair of free throws from Jordan Rhodes and a layup from Harrington put the Beavers up 75-74 with five seconds left. MSU managed to get the ball down court in the final seconds but it was unable to get a shot off as BSU held on to for the win.
Pendleton finished the game leading the Mavericks with 19 points, to go with eight rebounds. Fuqua added 16 points and seven boards, while junior
TJ Okafor finished his game with seven points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
As a team, MSU shot 41.7% from the field, to go with a 41-39 edge on the glass. The Mavericks also passed out 14 assists and recorded six steals.
Harringotn led BSU with 19 points and eight rebounds, while DJ Anderson added 18 points and seven rebounds. As a team, Bemidji State shot 45.5% from the field.
The Mavericks wrap up their homestand on Saturday as they host the Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
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