MANKATO, Minn. --- Taylor Center was the setting for another overtime encounter Saturday evening but it was #3 MSU Moorhead that came away with the 94-89 win over Minnesota State.

With the win, the Dragons improved to 22-3, including a 14-2 NSIC record. With the loss the Mavericks fall to 15-7, including a 10-6 conference record.

The first half saw a total of 14 lead changes as neither team led by more than eight points through the first 20 minutes of play. The Mavericks built their largest lead of the first half at 16-8 with 14:06 to go in the half, but MSU Moorhead eventually build a six-point lead at 44-38 with 2:08 to go in the half. A basket from junior TJ Okafor and freshman Joey Witthus would bring the score to 46-43 in favor of the Dragons heading into the lock room.

Senior Jalen Pendleton led the Maverick offense in the first half with 10 points, while Witthus chipped in with nine points, on a 3-of-5 showing from behind the arc. Junior Jon Fuqua added eight points and three rebounds as well.

As a team, MSU shot 56.3% from the field in the first half, including a 6-of-10 showing from long range. The Mavericks also passed out 10 assists and hauled in 16 rebounds.

Isaac Sevlie led the Dragon offense in the opening stanza with 13 points, while Ngijol Songolo dropped in 12 points. As a team, the Dragons shot 54.3% from the field in the first half.  

The second half saw the Dragons jump out to a seven point lead at 50-43 early on, but that would be the largest lead for the rest of the game as the Mavericks eventually retook the lead at 54-52 with 15:18 remaining in regulation.

The lead would change hands three more times in the second half, but with 3:01 to go in the game MSU Moorhead held the five-point advantage at 76-71. The Mavericks would get back within one of the Dragons at 76-75 after a pair of free throws from Pendleton and a layup from Fuqua with 11 seconds to go.

On the Dragon inbound pass, the Mavericks quickly fouled and sent Tanner Kretchman to the line, who hit one of two shots to put MSU Moorhead up 77-75 with five seconds remaining. Pendleton was then able to drive to the basket and draw the foul which sent him to the line shooting two. He would hit both shots from the line to knot up the score at 77 with three seconds left to force overtime.

In the overtime session, the Mavericks held an 86-85 lead with 47 seconds left but the Dragons would outscore the Mavericks 9-3 in the final 47 seconds to claim the 94-89 overtime victory.

Pendleton led the Mavericks in the scoring column with 28 points and six assists, while Fuqua added 17 points and a team-leading seven rebounds. Witthus added 14 points as well.
As a team, the Mavericks shot 45.8% from the field, to go with a 10-of-12 (.476) showing from behind the arc. MSU also passed out 16 assists and recorded six blocks.

Sevlie notched 33 points and nine rebounds for the Dragons, while Songolo notched a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The Mavericks begin a four-game road trip on Friday as take on the University of Mary. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.



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