Box Score MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University couldn't deliver a knockout punch midway through the second half and Northern State's 3-point and free throw shooting made them pay as the Wolves earned an 88-84 win over MISU in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball Friday at the Minot State Dome.

The Beavers (5-1 overall, 1-1 NSIC) led 56-49 on a pair of free throws by Dominique McDonald (So., G, Raleigh, N.C.) after a 27-9 burst to start the second half. But Northern State (6-2, 1-1) responded with their own 13-5 run to regain the lead on a layup by Tydan Storrusten with just 8:09 to play and the game remained tight the rest of the way.

While the Beavers couldn't deliver a knockout blow, head coach Matt Murken the 40-29 deficit at halftime was just as big of a factor as anything late.

 "I think the bottom line is we dug ourselves too big of a hole by not playing good basketball the first 20 minutes and going into the break down 11," he said. "It takes a lot of energy to try to battle back against a pretty good Northern State team and when we did that, there isn't much room for error in the second half."

Free throws by the Wolves were key late in the game as they hit 11 for 12 in the final 1:31. Until that stretch, it was the Beavers who reaped the foul-line benefits as Minot State was as superb 41 of 49 from the line in the game. In all, the teams combined for 91 free throws, making a combined 72 as 59 fouls were called in the game.

"What lost the game was us coming out flat in the first half and we had to battled back from a hole," said MISU's E.J. Williams (Sr., G, Raleigh, N.C.), who led all scorers with 26 points. "They (Northern State) made a few more free throws then us at the end."

Minot State was not very good from the floor in the first half, hitting just seven shots. MISU warmed up to a 43.5 percent clip (20 of 46), hitting 13 field goals in the second half, but struggled beyond the arc all contest, knocking down just 3 of 13 3-pointers on the night. NSU outscored Minot State 33-9 on 3s.

"We just couldn't sustain when they (Northern State) had a huge four point possession after a missed free throw," Murken said. "We just didn't get enough tough rebounds in that stretch and they made us pay for it."

Storrusten led six NSU players in double figures with 15 points and balance was a key for NSU. Jared Hannigan added 14, Darin Peterka 12 and seven rebounds, Skye Warwick 11 and Trent Zomer and Mitch White 10 each.

Along with Williams' 26 points, Samuel Johnson (Sr., F, Las Vegas, Nev.) added 14 points and six rebounds, while McDonald added 14 points and four rebounds.

Minot State will try to rebound in its final of seven straight home games to start the season, taking on Minnesota State-Moorhead at 6 p.m. at the Dome.