The University of Minnesota Duluth fell to St. Cloud State University on Saturday afternoon, battling hard but coming up short 76-65. The Bulldogs now carry a 9-3 record on the year, going 4-2 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The Huskies improve to 7-5 while going 4-2 in NSIC play.
 
UMD would shoot 43.1% (25-58) from the floor while blocking one, stealing none and grabbing 26 rebounds. SCSU would shoot 52.6% (30-57) from the floor while blocking two, stealing seven and grabbing 36 rebounds.
 
The Huskies would open the scoring with a dunk just 16 seconds in. senior forward Alex Illikainen would follow with a layup off a pass from senior guard Trevor Entwisle. Senior forward Brandon Myer would drop in a layup after an SCSU turn over caused by Entwisle. The Huskies would drop a layup to tie things back at four before Illikainen would drop a short jumper for two. Redshirt freshman Drew Blair would put a layup in after he would snag one up from the Huskies on a steal. SCSU would score on a layup before Myer would foul. The Huskies would drop a short jumper before Entwisle nailed a deep 3-pointer, leading into a media timeout. SCSU would drain two free throws out of the timeout. After each side would trade turn overs, the Huskies would score a layup to take the lead but freshman guard Jack Middleton would drain a 3-pointer to grab it back. UMD would miss a jumper, leading to SCSU going the other way to score a two before Middleton would nail another 3-pointer and proceed to score a two pointer off a Huskies turn over before leading into a media timeout with the Bulldogs leading 19-14. Redshirt freshman Ethan Youso would score out of the timeout with a layup. After an SCSU foul, senior guard Logan Rohrscheib would split free throws with the Huskies following with a short jumper. After a turn over, SCSU would score two before Rohrscheib would drain a 3-pointer to take a 25-21 point lead for the Bulldogs. SCSU would score a layup to follow. After the teams would trade rebounds, UMD would foul and the Huskies would score both free throws. Blair would miss a 3-pointer and SCSU would capitalize with a dunk the other way to take the lead at 27-25. The Huskies would score one of two on free throws before the Bulldogs would miss a shot, leading to another two from SCSU. The Huskies would grab the ball back and take a seven point lead off a layup before Blair would make a short jumper to pull within five at 32-27 with 2:45 remaining. After a foul from Rohrscheib, SCSU would split free throws before calling a timeout with 1:33 left in the half. Middleton would foul, giving the Huskies two free throws where they would make one and take a 34-27 lead. After Entwilse would turn the ball over, SCSU would make a layup to extend their lead. The Bulldogs would grab a one and one, with Illikainen scoring both before the Huskies would score a two to finish out the half 38-29.
 
Myer would begin the scoring in the second with a layup, and after Illikainen would grab a rebound, he would score another. The Huskies would respond with a two of their own followed by Entwisle dropping in a layup and drawing a foul, making that one as well. After Blair drained a layup, SCSU would call a timeout at 40-38. The Huskies would drop a layup out of the timeout. After the teams traded possessions, SCSU would score a layup and get the ball back to drain a deep 3-pointer to take a 47-38 lead leading into a media timeout. The Huskies would score a layup, and follow by grabbing a defensive rebound to score another layup forcing a UMD timeout. SCSU would score a short jumper to go up 53-38. After a Husky foul, Middleton would split free throws. After Illikainen would grab a defensive rebound, Myer would score a layup. SCSU would drain a deep 3-pointer. They would grab a dunk as well. They would grab a defensive rebound to score another 2-point jumper. The Bulldogs would go back the other way to drain a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Hunter Plamann leading into a media timeout. Blair would nail a 3-pointer out of the timeout. Plamann would grab another 3-pointer following a Myer defensive rebound. After yet another defensive rebound from Blair, he would drop a short jumper to pull UMD within eight at 60-52, forcing a Husky timeout. SCSU would nail a 3-pointer out of the timeout. After grabbing a defensive rebound, the Huskies would score a layup, but Plamann would score one of his own. SCSU would drop in a 3-pointer to take a 68-54 lead with 3:47 left in the game before a media timeout. Middleton would make a layup out of the timeout. Middleton would also snag two free throws to bring the Bulldogs to within 10. The Huskies would dunk one to respond. After Plamann would foul, SCSU would make two free throws before Middleton would score a short jumper for two. Off a turnover, Rohrscheib would score a layup and get a foul for the 3-point play. SCSU would follow with a timeout. The Huskies would throw one down out of the timeout, with Myer responding with a layup with 56 second, 74-65 in favor of the Huskies. After Myer would miss a free throw, SCSU would grab the rebound and force a Bulldog free throw. After missing, UMD would grab the rebound but turn it over and foul on the ensuing break. The Bulldogs would again grab the rebound but would miss a 2-pointer and foul. SCSU would make both free throws to take a 76-65 lead with 40 seconds remaining. After missed 3-pointer from UMD, SCSU would hold onto the rebound and run out the clock.
 
Middleton would finish with 15 points, shooting 55.6% (5-9) from the floor, grabbing two 3-pointers, two rebounds and one steal in 22 minutes. Blair finished with 11, shooting 55.6% (5-9) from the floor, grabbing six rebounds, three steals and one assist in 31 minutes. Plamann finished with eight points, shooting 60% (3-5) with three assists and one steal. Rohrscheib would drop seven, grabbing one rebound with two steals in 35 minutes. Entwisle would drop six with one 3-pointer, grabbing two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Myer would score 10 in the effort, grabbing six rebounds, two assists and one block. Illikainen finished with six points, grabbing seven rebounds and one assist.
 
The Bulldogs will take the next weekend off before coming back to Romano to host Bemidji State on Jan. 3.