FAYETTE, Iowa --- The Minnesota State men's basketball team rallied from 12 points down in the second half Saturday evening to defeat Upper Iowa 86-83 to stay perfect in conference play.
With the win, the Mavericks improve to 7-2 on the season, including a 4-0 record in NSIC play. With the loss, the Peacocks drop to 7-6, including a 1-4 league record.
The first half proved to be a close affair as neither team led by more than six points. UIU's largest lead of the half came with 16:48 to go in the half after a layup from Mitchell Eighme put the Peacocks up 15-9. MSU responded with a 17-6 run during the next five minutes to go up five at 26-21 after a jump shot from junior Carlos Anderson.
Upper Iowa managed to reclaim the lead with 5:42 to go in the half but a jump shot from sophomore
Kevin Krieger gave the lead right back to the Mavericks just 16 seconds later. MSU would eventually take a 38-36 lead into the locker room.
Sophomore
Cameron Kirksey led all scorers in the first half with 13 points, while senior
Charlie Brown added eight points and four rebounds. As a team, MSU shot 46.9% (15-of-32) from the field in the first half. The Mavericks also held a 19-16 advantage in rebounds.
Eighme led Upper Iowa with nine points in the first half, while Carson Parker and Munachiso Okonkwo each tallied eight.
The second half saw the Peacocks open with a 15-2 run as they held a 57-45 lead with 15:07 to go. MSU managed to work its way back to within two of the Peacocks, but at the halfway point of the second half, Upper Iowa held a five-point lead at 64-59 with 9:46 left in the game.
Just over four minutes later, a three pointer from Krieger knotted up the score at 71-71 with 5:38 to go. A pair of free throws a minute later from Brown put the Mavericks in front for good at 73-71. MSU led by as many as eight points in the final three minutes, but the Peacocks were able to get back within two at 83-81 with 23 seconds left. Three free throws from Krieger and a missed buzzer beater from Upper Iowa locked down the 86-83 win for Minnesota State.
Brown finished with a game-high 20 points, marking the fifth time this season he has scored at least 20 points in a game. Senior
Chris Kendrix notched his second double-double in as many games as he tallied 11 points and 11 rebounds. Krieger added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Kirksey matched his career-high with 17 points. Senior
Isaac Kreuer added 10 points off the bench as he shot 5-of-5 from the field.
As a team, MSU shot 47.8% from the field and held a 43-36 advantage in rebounds.
Parker led the UIU offense with 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, while Kan Rowan scored 15 points. As a unit, Upper Iowa shot 45.8% from the field, to go along with a 21-of-27 (.778) performance at the free throw line.
Minnesota State returns to Taylor Center on Saturday, Dec. 16, as it hosts the Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
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