SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Minnesota State (21-12, 13-9 NSIC) battled fiercely but fell short against St. Cloud State (25-5, 20-2 NSIC) in a nail-biting 87-82 showdown in the semifinals of the NSIC Tournament at the Sanford Pentagon on Monday. Despite a commanding 50 points in the paint, MSU couldn't quite tip the scales against the Huskies' proficiency at the free-throw line.

The Mavericks came out strong, racking up 22 points in the paint in the first half and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities with eight points. Junior Traijan Sain got things rolling with early free throws, while senior Malcolm Jones kept the momentum alive with a flurry of layups. Jones shone brightly, notching at least 20 points for the fifth time this season, underscoring his pivotal role for MSU.

St. Cloud's perimeter game posed a formidable challenge, with the Huskies draining five 3-pointers in the first half. Despite two blocks and two steals from the Maverick defense, St. Cloud State clung onto a lead, closing the half ahead, 44-37.

The first half was a tug-of-war, with the lead changing hands five times. Minnesota State thrived on second-chance points, chalking up eight off offensive rebounds, complemented by their 22 paint points. This marked their eighth straight game with at least 11 offensive boards. However, the Huskies' sharp three-point shooting—hitting five of six—gave them a 44-37 halftime edge.

In the second half, MSU kept chipping away at the lead with relentless paint scoring. Jones was instrumental, adding key layups and maintaining defensive intensity with solid rebounds and swift transitions, racking up five blocks for the second game in a row.

Midway through, the Mavericks pounced on turnovers and got a boost from the bench. Freshman Colton Benson's clutch three-pointer at 8:57 and sophomore Will Opsahl's at 2:19 kept MSU in the hunt.

Minnesota State's second-half surge saw them outscore St. Cloud 45-43, shooting 53 percent from the field and hitting four of eight from beyond the arc, while holding the Huskies to 37 percent. The Mavericks pulled down 21 rebounds, with Jones making his presence felt with three blocks. Yet, St. Cloud State's 19-for-24 free-throw shooting secured their win. The final horn sounded with SCSU ahead, 87-82.

Kirkman led the charge with 22 points, surpassing his season average and grabbing 13 rebounds for his eighth career double-double. His defensive prowess was on full display with 10 defensive boards. Jones added 20 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks, achieving his 11th career double-double. Lewis chipped in 15 points and four assists, while Opsahl was perfect from downtown with 10 points.

For the Huskies, Luke Winkel topped the scoresheet with 25 points, shooting 3-for-5 from deep and 10 of 11 from the line. Nate Dahl put up 18 points on 6 of 10 shooting with five boards. Wyatt Hawks registered a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, also blocking two shots. Kynan Philippe added 14 points, shooting 6 of 8 with a block and a steal.