Box Score

MARSHALL, Minn. – Nick Dufault scored a career-high 28 points, while teammate Kenny Byers added 24 points and a career-high 16 rebounds to pace Southwest Minnesota State to a dramatic 89-82 triple overtime victory over conference-leading Minnesota Duluth on Saturday night in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference men's basketball.
 
The victory snapped a four-game losing streak for SMSU which improves to 4-7 overall, 1-4 NSIC. UMD, had its eight-game winning streak snapped and drops to 9-2 overall, 4-1 NSIC. The game featured eight lead changes and was tied 11 times.
 
UMD's Brandon Myer, the NSIC Preseason Player of the Year, poured in 34 points and grabbed 18 rebounds to lead the Bulldogs.
 
SMSU has now defeated UMD in 16 of the past 18 meetings and won its 10 straight game in the series in Marshall. The triple overtime game was just the third in program history and the first since losing at Concordia-St. Paul on Feb. 13, 2010.
 
SMSU finished the game shooting 42 percent (33 of 79) from the field, including 11 of 31 from 3-point range. The Mustangs shot 48 percent in the overtime frames and made five 3-pointers. SMSU finished the game committing just eight turnovers in the 55 minute game.
 
Brian Dayman added six points and eight rebounds for the Mustangs, while Andy Stafford scored a career-high six points and pulled down four rebounds in the victory.
 
UMD closed the night shooting 35 percent (27 of 77) from the field, while making 12 of 33 from behind the 3-point arc. The Bulldogs shot just 28 percent in the second half, but made 9 of 22 combined field goals in the overtimes, which included connecting on four 3-pointers.
 
In the second half, UMD held an eight-point lead with 14 minutes remaining, but SMSU used a 10-0 run to regain the lead at 45-43 with 10:17 left following a 3-pointer by Dufault. The lead would move to 50-45 with 7:19 left following a Dufualt jumper and would eventually extend to 52-45 at the 6:44 mark after a dunk by Weston Baker Magrath off a great assist from Cliff McCray.
 
UMD rallied back and tied the game twice, including at 55-55 with 3:19 remaining. Jake Phipps would put SMSU back in front with a layup at the 2:10 mark, but Myer connected on two free throws with 49 seconds remaining to tie the game at 57.
 
SMSU had two shots to regain the lead by Dufault and Byers both missed jump shots, while Myer turned the ball over in the final seconds to send the game into overtime.
 
UMD build a pair of three-point leads in the first overtime, but a Byers 3-poitner with 2:45 remaining tied the game at 64. Jack Middleton would put the Bulldogs back in front with a 3-pointer with 1:31 on the clock, but Dufault answered with his own 3-pointer with just over a minute remaining to tie the game at 67.
 
UMD turned the ball over with 47 seconds left, but Dufault missed a field goal on the other end to give UMD a chance for the win. Myer missed a jumper in the final seconds, but UMD was awarded the ball with 0.3 seconds remaining. The Bulldogs attempted a dramatic victory on a pass that Myer caught and scored as the buzzer sounded, but after review, the basket was declared after the buzzer and the game moved to double overtime.
 
In the second overtime a layup by Dufault and was followed moments later by a steal and dunk by Byers to put SMSU in front 74-71 with 1:09 remaining. UMD had another answer as Trevor Entwisle drilled a 3-pointer with 52 seconds left to tie the game once more. Dufault countered by making one of two free throws to put SMSU back in front, but Entwisle connected on another 3-pointer to give UMD a 77-75 lead with 20 seconds remaining.
 
But the game was far from over with the dramatics, as Byers answered with a 3-pointer with six seconds remaining to put the Mustangs back in front at 78-77. UMD quickly sprinted up the floor and Myer was fouled with 1.3 seconds left with a chance to win the game. Myer, an 84 percent free throw shooter entering the game, missed the first free, but made the second attempt to send the game into triple overtime at 78-all.
 
In the final five minutes, Dufault put SMSU in front with a jumper and would later hit another field goal to put SMSU in the lead at 82-79 with 3:21 on the clock. Myer would answer with a three-point play midway through the third overtime to tie the game at 82, but following empty possessions by both teams, Byers would give SMSU the lead for good with 1:07 remaining on a layup. UMD failed to score on its next possession and Dufault was fouled with 26 seconds left and calmly hit both free throws to make the score 86-82. Byers would make three of four free throws in the final 16 seconds to seal the victory.
 
The two clubs played a tight opening half with SMSU holding several four-point leads in the first eight minutes. UMD took its first lead of the game at 13-12 with 11:41 left in the half and eventually built a 25-18 advantage at the 7:26 mark following a 3-pointer by Myer.
 
Dayman started a Mustang rally with a 3-pointer to help spark a 10-3 run with Byers hitting a jumper to tie the game at 28 with 3:08 left in the half.
 
The Bulldogs answered with the final five points of the half to take a 33-28 lead into the break.
 
SMSU shot 44 percent in the first half, while UMD shot 37 percent, but the Bulldogs connected on six 3-pointers.
 
Southwest Minnesota State continues play at home next Saturday, Dec. 21, taking on the University of Sioux Falls with tip-off set for 4 p.m.