BISMARCK, N.D. – Minot State University can't buy a win.

The Beavers dropped its third game in a row by two points or less as the University of Mary held on for a 72-71 win over Minot State in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball Friday at McDowell Activity Center.

The Beavers (4-7 overall, 0-6 NSIC) trailed by as many as 10 points midway through the second half, but kept hanging around throughout the second. Minot State cut the lead to a single possession twice late, but couldn't get a lead or a tie to complete the comeback.

The Beavers missed a short-range jumper trailing 70-68 with 20 seconds remaining. Then, after two free throws by the Marauders, MSU's Luis Ricci Maia (So., G, Franca, Sao Paulo, Brazil) drilled a 3-pointer to cut it to a one-point game.

A U-Mary turnover gave the Beavers one more chance at a game-winner, but MSU couldn't get a shot off ending a wild finish.

Minot State has lost its last four games by a total of 11 points and its last three by just a total of four points.

MSU trailed early, but went on a 16-2 run to take an 18-10 lead. Tyler Rudolph (So., F, Bismarck, N.D.) scored seven of his team-high 18 points during the early run.

But U-Mary (10-2, 5-1) went on its own 10-0 run to take back the lead and held it for the remainder of the contest. Bryan Jefferson was a big reason why as he finished with a game-high 29 points and added 11 rebounds. He was a perfect 11 for 11 from the free throw line, including the two that eventually gave the Marauders enough cushion for their first winning streak in the series since the Beavers moved to NCAA Division II.

The Beavers shot 50 percent for the game and held the Marauders to just 38.6 percent from the field. But the Marauders outscored Minot State by 11 from the line as the Beavers were whistled for eight more fouls in the contest.

Brandon Tyler scored 13 points and Marquealis Edwards finished with 12 points and seven rebounds in the win for U-Mary.

Rudolph finished with his fifth double-double of the season as he pulled down 12 rebounds to go along with 18 points. Maia added 14 points, hitting four 3-pointers, while Chris Davis (Sr., G, Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Stevan Jovanovic (So., F, Novi Sad, Serbia) scored 10 points each with Davis adding seven rebounds and Jovanaovic five board for the Beavers.

Minot State will try to snap a six-game losing skid with a nonconference game against Crossroads College Saturday at 3 p.m. at the MSU Dome.

About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.