MINOT, N.D. --- The Minnesota State men's basketball team fell to Minot State on the road Friday evening by the score of 97-69.

With the loss, MSU drops to 10-5, including a 4-5 NSIC record. With the win, Minot State improves to 11-4, including a 5-4 conference record.

A little more than four minutes into the game, Minot State built a nine-point lead at 14-5 with 15:41 to go in the half. Over the next four minutes the Mavericks would go on a 12-4 run, which included baskets from five different Mavericks to cut the Beavers lead to one at 18-17 with 11:17 to go in the half.

The Beavers would control the pace for the rest of the first half however as they outscored the Mavericks 35-15 over the final 11 minutes to take a 53-32 lead into halftime.

Junior Devonte Thedford led the Mavericks in the first half with 11 points, while freshman Tyrell Stuttley netted six points. As a team, MSU shot 48.3% from the field in the opening stanza.

Camron Dunfee led the Beavers in the first half with 12 points, while Max Cody tallied nine points and five assists.

The second half would see Minot State maintain at least a 20-point lead throughout as the Beavers went on to defeat the Mavericks 97-69.

Stuttley led the Mavericks with a season-high 18 points, which including a 5-of-6 showing from the field and a 7-of-10 performance from the line. Thedford finished with 17 points as well, while freshman Harrison Braudis notched 11 points as well.

As a team, Minnesota State shot 43.6% from the field and 16-of-20 (.800) from the free throw line. 

Cody led the Beavers with 18 points and six assists, while Melvin Newbern notched a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Dunfee tallied 17 points also.

As a team, Minot State shot 60.3% from the field, while hauling in 36 rebounds.

Minnesota State wraps up its road trip on Saturday as it takes on the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

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