JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Minot State University all but erased a 19-point Jamestown College first-half lead by the 16 minute mark of the second half.

But the Beavers never gained the lead and the JC pulled away.

The Jimmies rebounded from the MSU comeback attempt to earn an 87-71 win in Dakota Athletic Conference men's basketball Friday at the Jamestown Civic Center.

“We have to get better,” said MSU head coach Peter Stewart. “You have heard me preach about it, we have to change the overall culture here and just get better. Basketball is a hard game. It is fun and fast, but it is a hard game.”

The Beavers appeared to have erased all of the lead but a bizarre play kept the Jimmies in the lead four minutes into the second half. MSU's Bojan Janjic (Sr., G, Kikinda, Serbia) stole a ball at halfcourt and knifed through the JC defense for a basket and an apparent three-point play attempt. But after a discussion, a double foul was called – on being on Janjic – negating the basket. The Beavers missed on a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and Jamestown College's Byron Jones drilled a 3 on the Jimmies possession to push the lead back to four.

“You know, honestly, I have never seen that before,” Stewart said of the play. “But it is what it is. We have to be tough and play through those kinds of things.”

The Beavers were a step – or two – slow out of the gates, but got things rolling mainly behind a full court zone defense. MSU cut the lead to seven at the half on two free throws by Jonas Pollard (Jr., G, Mesa, Ariz.) just before halftime and further cut in the lead with a hoop two straight Jason West (Sr., G, Lompoc, Calif.) baskets and two free throws by Shawn Storseth (Jr., F, Burlington, N.D.). Storseth's free throws made it 43-42 with 17:13 to play.

“We disguised it a little, but it is the same press. It is designed to get them to burp with it a little,” Stewart said. “We had to do something to slow the freight train down.”

While the Beavers energy was better after the midway point in the first half, the large lead by JC took its toll. Down the stretch, MSU's defense did not get the stops it needed to complete the comeback.

“There are always four runs and we have to respond to their runs,” Stewart said. “We have to drive the freight train or get run over by it.”

Travis Burley led JC with 28 points and nine rebounds. He had four offensive rebounds – all on putback dunks. C.J. Peters and Jones both scored 17. The Jimmies shot 54 percent from the floor and were a scorching 19 of 27 from the floor in the second half.

Anthony Enriquez (G, Jr., Tacoma, Wash.) and Pollard each finished with 16 points. Storseth added nine points and six rebounds, while Janjic and West each finished with eight.

“We got some good individual play at time. Storseth gave us good minutes,” said Stewart.

The Beavers return home for a nonconference game with Brandon University (Manitoba) Sunday at 6 p.m. at the MSU Dome.