MANKATO – The University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (14-16, 10-12 NSIC), which received 21 points from senior guard Mack Johnson, dropped a 79-67 league decision to Minnesota State (19-9, 14-8 NSIC) in the regular season finale at the Taylor Center on Saturday.

The Cougars, which finished 14-16 overall and 10-12 in NSIC play, will hit the road for the first round of the NSIC Sanford Health Men's Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 22. USF will be the #5 seed from the South Division and will travel to face Minot State (14-14, 10-12 NSIC), the fourth seed from the North Division.  Game time is set for 7 p.m. The winning team will advance to the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of Southwest Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon. More information, including links to buy tickets for the following rounds, can be found at NorthernSun.org/NSICTourney. 

NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament Bracket.

The USF-Minot State winner will advance to play the victor of the Southwest Minnesota State (#1 seed in South) and Minnesota-Duluth (#8 seed in North) in the conference quarterfinals at the Pentagon on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 5:30 pm.

Against Minnesota State, M. Johnson, who had 20 points for the second straight night and the 22nd time in his career, hit 6-of-13 from the field, and finished with 21 points with seven rebounds and an assist. He now has 1,621 career points. Three other USF players reached double digits, including sophomore forward Drew Guebert with 16 points and seven rebounds. Zach Wessels added 12 points, five assists and three rebounds. In addition, Kebu Johnson had 11 points.

Paced by hot-shooting throughout their lineup, MSU broke from a tight game in the first half and carried a 43-33 lead into halftime. In the opening half, the Mavericks hit 63 percent (17-of-27) from the field, including 8-of-13 from three point range to open the double digit lead. While their shooting dropped a bit in the second half to 47.6 percent (10-of-21), they outscored USF, 36-34 to pick up the victory. USF cut the lead to three points in the second half but drew no closer.

Overall, the Cougars converted 23-of-58 field goals for 39.7 percent, including 6-of-16 from three point range for 37.5 percent. USF, which had a 33-30 edge on the boards, made 15-of-18 from the free throw line.  

Aarias Austin led MSU with 22 points off the bench as he made 4-of-8 from three-point range. Jon Fuqua added 15 points and Cameron Kirksey, 13.  With the production from Kirksey and Austin, MSU had a 46-5 edge in bench points.

In the opening half, the Mavericks, which were led by Fuqua's 12 points and six rebounds, opened up a quick 5-2 lead with 18:30 to play after Joey Witthus hit a runner.  Two straight baskets by K. Johnson, including a tip-in (16:48), enabled the Cougars to grab a 6-5 lead.

Wessels, who had eight points in the half, dialed up a three to cut the deficit to 15-13 (12:43). Then, the MSU guards began connecting from distance as consecutive treys from Kirksey and Trey Sampson pushed the lead to 21-15. On the ensuing possession, USF stayed close with a series of offensive rebounds, including Tom Aase with "and 1" off the offensive glass, to cut the deficit to 21-18 (10:23). 

With its torrid shooting, MSU extended the lead to nine points despite USF coming up with a three-point play from K. Johnson, who had seven points in the half, and a triple by Guebert at the 5:17 mark to keep USF within, 34-28. When Witthus knocked home a triple with 1:43 left in the half, MSU led, 43-33.

While MSU was hot, the Cougars struggled in the half, hitting 13-of-32 from the field for 40.6 percent and only 3-of-8 from three point range. Both teams finished with 16 rebounds in a half in which MSU led for 18:50 of the 20 minutes of regulation.

Early in the second half, Guebert's turnaround jumper (16:40) and his third triple of the game cut MSU's double digit lead at the break to 46-40 with 15:22 to play. Daniel Hurtt found space inside to cut MSU's edge to 48-44 with 12:40 to play. A drive and score by K. Johnson dwindled the margin to just 49-46 with 12 minutes to play. 

After M. Johnson knocked in a triple to keep the lead at three, Austin answered with a three to push MSU's lead back to six points (62-56) with 8:56 to play.  Two foul shots by Charlie Brown enabled the Mavericks to extend their lead to 61-51 with 7:55 to play After Austin converted a lay-up (5:38) and Brown made two more foul shots, the Mavericks led, 69-55, with 5:04 to play.

After that, USF was able to draw within eight on a three pointer (1:51) and two free throws (1:25) by M. Johnson but could get no closer in falling to MSU for a 10th straight time.