CROOKSTON, MINN. – Despite playing shorthanded, the University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (12-8, 8-4 NSIC) had four players score in double digits in recording its sixth straight victory with a 69-60 decision over Minnesota Crookston (6-12, 2-10) in NSIC action at the Lysaker Gym on Saturday night.

Playing without senior leader Mack Johnson, the Cougars built a 42-35 halftime lead and extended its margin to double digits several times in the second half in defeating UMC for the sixth time in seven meetings in the all-time series. USF's largest lead was 14 points (61-47, 6:21, 2nd half) but maintained at least an eight-point advantage over the final nine minutes of the game.

Leading the way for the Cougars was senior forward Daniel Hurtt who had 16 points, three rebounds and two assists. He was 7-of-13 from the floor, including 2-of-4 from three-point range. Senior forward Clint Thomas added 15 points, including 13 in the first half when he knocked down a trio of three pointers. Thomas, who moved past 500 points (501) in his career, pushed his career three-point total to 113, just six away from 10th on USF's all-time list.

Also reaching double digits for USF was sophomore forward Drew Guebert, who supplied 14 points and six rebounds. Meanwhile junior point guard Zach Wessels had another solid performance with 11 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Senior guard Kebu Johnson also had a big night for USF with six points and a season-high nine rebounds.

"I am really pleased with the way the guys stepped up tonight without Mack (Johnson)," said USF Men's Basketball Head Coach Chris Johnson, who picked up his 153rd career win and is just one away from tying Shane Murphy for USF's all-time men's basketball wins record. "Whether it was Clint (Thomas), Daniel (Hurtt), Drew (Guebert), Zach (Wessels) or Kebu (Johnson) and others like Tom (Aase) and Devin (Green), this was truly a team effort. They played smart and again we were tough defensively. It was really nice to get another league win on the road."

The Cougars, which improved its road mark in the NSIC to 5-2, held its ninth opponent this year to 60 points or fewer. In fact, during the six-game winning streak, USF has held five of its six opponents to 62 points or fewer. The winning streak is the longest since USF won nine straight in the 2011-12 season (Dec. 30, 2011 to Jan. 28, 2012).

USF, which has the league's top defense, held UMC to just 41.4 percent shooting (24-of-58) from the field. Even better, the Cougars limited the Golden Eagles to 6-of-21 from three-point range for 28.6 percent. In addition, freshman standout Harrison Cleary was held to 12 points, nine below his season average of 21. Connor Gamble led UMC with 15 points, including three, three-pointers.

As for the Cougars, they hit 27-of-55 field goals, although just 10-of-25 for 40 percent in the second half. USF knocked in 7-of-20 from three-point range for 35 percent while making 8-of-13 from the free throw line. For the 17th time in 20 games, the Cougars won the rebound battle (37-28). Neither team had problem with turnovers as UMC had just five and USF, seven.

With Thomas leading the way with 13 points in the first half, USF rallied from a 19-16 deficit at the 10:52 mark of the first half. Over the next four minutes, USF outscored 14-4 to build a 30-23 edge with 6:01 to play in the half. USF forward Tom Aase, who had six points on the night, converted back-to-back inside baskets as USF took a 37-27 lead over UMC with 3:23 left. Off Wessels' seventh assist of the half, Hurtt dropped in a lay-up for a 42-33 advantage with 49 seconds left in the first half.

Aside from Thomas, Hurtt supplied nine points and Guebert eight in the first half. Meanwhile, Wessels had four points, four rebounds and seven assists. USF was hot in the opening stanza, hitting 17-of-30 field goals for 56.7 percent, including 6-of-11 from three point range for 54.5 percent. Meanwhile UMC, which was led by Gable Smith with eight points, made 15-of-28 from the field for 53.6 percent but just 3-of-10 from distance. In a half with six lead changes and two ties, the Cougars had a 14-11 rebound edge and maintained the lead for 10:33.  

After a high-scoring opening 20 minutes, defenses took over as USF and UMC mustered just four points combined in the opening 4:37 minutes of the second half. Wessels knocked in a pair of free throws with 15:13 to play to push USF's advantage to 46-37.  USF's first field goal of the second half was a jumper from Aase off an assist from Wessels with 14:02 to play. Later, K. Johnson scored inside as USF led, 50-41, with 11:26 to play.

Cleary helped UMC draw within 52-46 by converting a lay-up at the 9:04 mark. But USF responded with a 7-0 run as Hurtt had five points, including a three-pointer, that pushed the advantage to 13 points at 59-46.  Later, Wessels made a lay-up for a 61-47 lead (6:21) but UMC answered with a 5-0 run to cut the advantage to 61-52 at the 5:15 mark.  Shortly thereafter, Guebert converted a pair of lay-ups with his second providing USF with a 65-54 lead with 3:31 to play and the issue was decided.

Now USF returns to the Stewart Center to begin a four-game home stand, which starts on Jan. 20 with Minnesota State and then with Concordia-St. Paul on Jan. 21.