The battle between the second- and third-place teams in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's North Division went to the home team, as the University of Minnesota Duluth knocked off the University of Mary in dominant fashion, 100-74 on Saturday evening in Duluth.

UMD (14-6, 10-4 NSIC) returned to form in front of a crowd of 1,250 for the Bulldogs' Alumni night, ending a three-game losing skid entering play and further distancing itself from the third-place team in the NSIC North. UMD scored on its first four possessions and looked hot from beyond the arc early, hitting more three-pointers in the first half (8) than two-point field goals (six) while finishing the first half shooting 48.3 percent (14-of-29). The team only heated up from there, taking its offense inside in the second half where the Bulldogs hit 18-of-27 (66 percent) including 5-of-9 threes.
Senior guards Pierre Newton and Taylor Lavery each dropped 26 points on the night, with Newton grabbing 12 rebounds, all on the defensive end, to round out a double-double. Senior forward Brendon Pineda added 17 points on a night that 11 different players scored for UMD. U-Mary, which has stumbled off late but got off to a hot start in conference play, fell victim to a similar injustice as the Bulldogs on Friday night, shooting 43.1 percent and having five players reach double figures, led by Marquealis Edwards' 17 and team-high five rebounds. The Marauders simply could not keep pace, hitting five total threes on the night on 18 attempts.

The Bulldogs will continue the homestand next weekend hosting the University of Sioux Falls in an interdivisional NSIC outing. Opening tip is set for 8:00 p.m. on Friday night, following the women's contest.