The University of Minnesota Duluth men's basketball team wrapped up the 2003-04 regular season with a 84-74 win over the University of Minnesota-Crookston at Lysaker Gym in Crookston, Minn. The Bulldogs solidified a top-four finish in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference standings and the right to host a first-round game in the 2004 NSIC Tournament.

The Bulldogs led for the final 35:46 of the contest overtaking the hosts early in the first stanza and powering to a halftime lead of 36-30.

In the second half, UMC would shrink the UMD lead to as few as five points (37-23) in the first minute of the half but that was as close as the Golden Eagles would get. The Bulldogs would respond with a 10-0 scoring run midway through the second half on their way to a 22-point lead with just over 11 minutes to play in the game.

The balanced UMD scoring attack was led by Dusty Decker. The senior scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-16 from the floor and 3-of-7 from behind the arc. Joining Decker recording double-figure point totals were freshman Bryan Foss who netted 15 points, sophomore Sean Seaman with 14 and freshman Matt Rawley who collected 10 points.

UMD dominated the glass grabbing 45 rebounds to the Golden Eagles’ 35 including 18 offensive rebounds. The Bulldogs were led on the glass by Foss who pulled down nine boards.

The Bulldogs move to 16-11 overall and 9-7 in NSIC play. UMD will begin the 2004 NSIC Tournament Wednesday March 3 as they host a team to be determined later. The game is scheduled for an 8:00 p.m. start at Romano Gymnasium with the winner moving on the semifinal round of the tournament at the Gangelhoff Center on the campus of Concordia University-St. Paul.