SIOUX FALLS – With a career-high 33 points from senior forward Daniel Hurtt, the University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (5-7, 2-3 NSIC) snapped a two-game losing streak by registering an 83-70 win over Minnesota Duluth (1-7, 1-3 NSIC) in a North-South NSIC matchup Saturday at the Stewart Center.

USF, which led by as many as 16 points in the second half (70-54, 8:29, 2nd), never trailed in picking up its fifth win in 12 decisions. The Cougars improve to 2-3 in NSIC play, including 3-3 at home this season. UMD dropped to 1-7 overall and 1-3 in league play.

"I am really proud of this team to rebound from a tough loss to St. Cloud State," said head coach Chris Johnson, who now has 146 career wins at USF. "Daniel Hurtt was really good and Mack Johnson really had a solid effort. I am really happy and proud how Daniel played both on the block and with his shooting," he said. "It is nice moving forward into Tuesday's game with a victory. There really wasn't a lot of negatives as I felt we did it on both ends and with a lot of guys contributing."

For the second time this season, Hurtt scored 30 points with his 33 coming off 11-of-17 shooting from the field, including 5-of-6 from three-point range. He was 6-of-6 from the foul line and had six rebounds, including four off the offensive glass. Hurtt's five treys tied his career high that he set in scoring 31 against Concordia-Wisconsin on Nov. 19. He also had his eighth double digit point total of the season and the third game of 20 points or more.

Senior Mack Johnson had his 65th double digit point game of his career with 21 points as he made 9-of-17 shots from the floor while also grabbing five rebounds. For Johnson it was his 18th, 20-point game of his career with two coming in 2016-17. The Cougars had a third player in double digits as leading scorer and sophomore forward Drew Guebert had 17 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Overall, USF hit 30-of-66 field goals for 45.5 percent, including 10-of-21 from three point range for 47.6 percent and 13-of-18 from the charity stripe. USF had a 43-34 edge in rebounds as the Cougars won the board battle for the 10th time in 12 games. In addition, USF reached double digits in made three-pointers for the seventh time this season and fourth time in five games.

UMD, which was led by Luke Harris with 15 points and Kyle Schalow with 13, hit 26-of-62 shots for 41.9 percent. They were 6-of-20 from three point range for 30 percent and 12-of-14 from the foul line for 85.7 percent.

USF jumped out of the blocks fast against UMD as Guebert's three pointer gave the Cougars a 3-0 lead just 54 seconds into the game.  After UMD forged the first of four first-half ties at 5-5 (17:53), the Cougars received a three-point play from Guebert and a pair of jumpers from Johnson for a 12-7  lead with 15:22 to play.
As would be the case in the first half, whenever USF grabbed a lead, the Bulldogs answered. UMD received a three from Schalow and a Charles Benson basket to tie the game at 12-12 with 14:32 to go. 

With three pointers from Guebert and Clint Thomas (11:55), USF built an 18-12 lead.  But UMD fought back with a Ryan Kaczinski layup cutting the deficit to 20-17. Hurtt, who scored a team-high 21 points in the first half, kept finding the range and his lay-up with 8:42 to play provided USF with a 26-17 advantage.  Hurtt knocked down a three-pointer and Johnson's lay-up pushed USF's lead to 31-19, the biggest advantage of the half for either team. 

UMD countered as a lay-up by Jake Wilson of UMD was part of seven straight points by Bulldogs to draw within 31-26.  Then, Kaczynski converted a three-point play to trim the deficit to 33-29 at the 4:36 mark of the half. With the team trading baskets, Hurtt's three-pointer with 1:42 left provided USF's with a 43-34 lead. Johnson closed out the scoring for USF with a lay-up at the 1:07 mark for a 45-37 lead. UMD added a free throw to send the teams to the locker room with USF up, 45-38.

In the opening half, both the Cougars and Bulldogs shot 50 percent with USF connecting on 17-of-34 shots from the field, including a sizzling 6-of-9 from three point range. UMD was 15-of-30 but just 3-of-8 from distance.

Early in the second half, Johnson had a lay-up to reach double digits (10 points) as the Cougars pushed their lead to 47-38.  But UMD had the answer as Josh Washburn's three-pointer at the 18:33 mark cut the lead to 47-43.  

Later, USF had consecutive baskets, including a put-back by Tom Aase, for a 58-50 advantage with 13:59 to play. Then, the defenses starting to limit the scoring before Schalow's free throw cut USF's lead to 60-54 with 10:50 left in the game.

USF started to create some distance when Guebert knocked home a trey at the 10:29 mark as the lead grew to 63-54. Then, Johnson took over with his three pointer off Wessel's fourth assist of the game pushing the lead to a game high 16 points at 70-54 (8:29).

UMD responded with five straight points to narrow the deficit to 70-59 lead with 7:39 to go.  But Hurtt came up big with five straight points as USF took a 75-59 lead with 6:10 to play. After that, UMD cut the lead to 12 (79-67, 1:20) but could draw no closer as the Cougars picked up their third straight win over the Bulldogs.

The Cougars return to action with a home nonconference matchup against Mount Marty at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. USF will close the pre-Christmas schedule against Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday in an NSIC matchup at 6 p.m., at the Stewart Center.