Senior guard
Reece Zoelle went over 1,000 points for his career as the University of Minnesota Duluth knocked off Minot State University 60-56 in Minot, North Dakota on Friday evening in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference competition.
UMD (10-9, 7-6 NSIC) has won four of its last five and is now 6-3 against the NSIC North Division, remaining in the hunt for a home playoff game come the end of the season, while Minot State (9-10, 4-9 NSIC) remains just behind UMD in the standings.
HIGHLIGHTS• Zoelle and fellow senior
Brett Ervin efforted the victory for the Bulldogs with 15 and 14 points repsectively. Ervin also hauled in 12 rebounds to complete a double-double. Junior forward
Brendon Pineda added 10 points, while junior guard
Pierre Newton had nine and nine boards. Junior guard
Taylor Lavery had five assists to go with five points.
• Michael Pelo and Everett Robinson each scored 14 for the Beavers, who shot 37.0 percent on the night but just 6-of-24 from beyond the arc. Minot got just eight points off its bench compared to 17 for UMD.
Â
Zoelle is the first Bulldog to go over 1,000 for his career since his classmate Ervin did it two seasons ago. Now at 1,375 for his career, Ervin sits 18th all-time at UMD. "It's no question he's struggled at times this year, but no one has wanted this night more than himself," said head coach
Matt Bowen after the game. "He played some reall good defense and scored with confidence tonight. I hope it's a sign of what's to come as he closes out his senior year."
Newton scored the first five points of the game for UMD as the Bulldogs took an early lead, erased by a three-pointer by Pelo as Minot took its first lead of the game at 9-7, eventually building up a lead of 17-11, when the Bulldogs started chipping away, led by Zoelle, who scored six of UMD's nine points in as they came back to lead 20-17 thanks in large part to a pair of big turnovers by Minot State. Zoelle went over 1,000 with his third basket of the game with 8:30 remaining in the half. Trading the lead throughout the half, the teams would settle for a 30-30 score as they went to the locker room.
"Since the homestand, we've won four of five and we're playing better basketball," said
Matt Bowen as UMD would take a lead of seven with 4:27 remaining, pulling away from the Beavers with an 8-1 run and holding on the rest of the way. "They are all hard road trips, but this is obviously a long drive. It was one we needed, and keeps us in position to be where we want to be at the end of the season, hosting a playoff game. Obviously, it feels better than the alternative."
Â
UP NEXT
UMD continues on the road tomorrow night when the Bulldogs travel to the University of Mary to take on the Marauders. Opening tip is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. in Bismarck, North Dakota, following the women's contest.
