The University of Minnesota Duluth shot 63.0 percent for the game but needed overtime to defeat Wayne State (Neb.) College at Romano Gym on Friday evening, shutting the Wildcats out in the extra session for a 94-80 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference interdivisional victory.
UMD (9-8, 6-5 NSIC) claws back above the .500 mark for the first time since Dec. 13 while Wayne State (3-14, 0-11 NSIC) remainsl without a victory in conference play.
HIGHLIGHTS• Junior guard
Pierre Newton led the way with 31 points; senior center
Brett Ervin added 25; and, junior forward
Brendon Pineda added a double-double with 13 and 10 rebounds to give the Bulldogs a thrilling victory. UMD's up-tempo offense produced 15 Bulldog assists, led by five for Ervin, who also added six rebounds on the night.
• Four players hit double figures for the Wildcats as they battled back in the second half. Freshman guard Trae VandeBerg scored 21 points to lead the way while senior center Patrick Kurth added 18 and a team-high eight rebounds.
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UMD was hot from anywhere on the floor except the free throw line in the early going, shooting 73.1 percent in the first half from the floor, but making good on just 5-of-10 trips to the free throw line as they led 45-37 at the break but could not seem to hold the Wildcats down. Wayne part shot 45.2 percent in the opening half and improved on that in the second as they scratched their way back down three with seconds to go. UMD put freshman guard Kendall Jacks on the line, and he made the first, allowing VandeBerg a game-tying tip-in as the Bulldogs failed to convert on a buzzer-beating opportunity. The basket would be the last points of the night for Wayne State as the Wildcats went 0-for-7 in the overtime period, turning the ball over three times in the process. For their part, UMD's shooters went 8-of-11 from the line as they pulled away in the overtime session and finished 20-of-31 at the line.
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UP NEXT
The Bulldogs conclude their homestand tomorrow evening as the No. 9-ranked Augustana (S.D.) College comes to Romano Gym for another NSIC interdivisional match-up. Opening tip is set for 6:00 p.m., following the women's contest.
