BISMARCK, N.D. –Sophomore guard Chase Grinde scored 19 points to lead three players in double-digits as the league-leading (RV) University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (14-3, 10-1 NSIC) ran its running streak to seven games and maintained control of the NSIC with a 59-53 decision over U-Mary at the McDowell Activity Center on Friday (Jan. 17).

With the victory, USF, which received votes in the NABC Top-25 poll this past week, moved to 10-1 in the NSIC to maintain control of the overall conference lead. USF is now 14-3 as the Cougars continue their DII program-best start in terms of total record and in league play.  USF recorded a seventh straight win for the first time since winning eight straight from Feb. 10, 2012 to March 3, 2012.

USF, which improved to 7-2 all-time in their series with U-Mary, had a seven-minute, 35-second scoring drought late in the game before junior guard Trevon Adams hit a huge three with 59 seconds to play to give USF a 57-51 lead. After that freshman guard Jack Thompson converted a lay-up (18 seconds left) as USF finished with a 59-53 decision and defeated U-Mary for a third straight time.

"I am really proud of this group for finding a way to win when we were out of sync most of the night.  We made just enough plays, including the three from Trevon (Adams) and a late basket from Jack (Thompson)," said USF Head Coach Chris Johnson, who won his 209^th career game at USF and 225^th overall. "We made nine threes tonight and that helped offset our problems of not getting to the line. But in a physical game, we held the advantage on the boards, shared the basketball and kept our turnovers down.  I was really proud of this group as it was a really gutsy effort," added Johnson's whose squad will face Minot State at 5:30 p.m., on Saturday (Jan. 18) at the Minot Dome.

Grinde, who had his ninth double-digit scoring game of the season and 16^th of his career, made 8-of-19 field goals, which included 3-of-6 from three-point range for his 19 points. He also had three assists and two steals. In 40 minutes on the floor, freshman guard Jack Thompson had 14 points, three assists, three rebounds and a steal. He was 5-of-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Thompson registered his fourth straight double-digit scoring game and his ninth of the season. Also for USF, junior forward Teathloach Pal just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. Pal, who hit 4-of-6 field goals and 2-of-3 foul shots, had his 15^th double-digit scoring game of his career.

Early on both teams came out on fire, shooting over 55 percent over the first 10 minutes of the game. By the end of the game, shooting on both sides had cooled a bit. USF finished at 40.7 percent by making 24-of-59 field goals. U-Mary, which had 12 points and nine rebounds from Matthew Kreklow and 11 pointsfrom Connor Hellebust, was 16-of-41 for 39 percent in shooting from the field.

Key for USF was its three-point shooting. USF, which entered the game near the bottom of the league in three-point shooting, tied a season-high with nine threes on 18 attempts for 50 percent. The Marauders hit 7-of-25 from three for 28 percent. While USF had eight more field goals, U-Mary had a 14 (17 attempts) to 2 (six attempts) advantage at the foul line.

USF, which led 34-30 at halftime after leading by as many as 10 points (27-17, 6:02, 1^st half), outscored U-Mary, 25-23, in the second half to move to 6-0 in league road games. Significant to USF's win was a 36-29 edge in rebounds and the fact that the Cougars shared the ball with 14 assists on its 24 made baskets. USF also had just seven turnovers to 13 for U-Mary and had a 15-to-6 margin in points from turnovers. USF also controlled the inside to a 26-to-14 paint points advantage.

Game Recap -
The Cougars jumped out to a 12-6 lead with a 9-2 run (15:16) in the first half. In a bit of a rarity, USF opened up a 15-10 lead at the 11:52 mark after Thompson hit USF's fifth three of the half. All 15 of USF's 15 points (5-of-7, 71.4 percent) came through three-pointers including two by both Grinde and Thompson.

Later, junior forward Austin Slater, who finished with seven points and nine rebounds despite foul trouble, made a lay-up as USF led, 19-13 (10:42).  After Grinde reached double digits at the 10:08 mark, USF led 21-13 and had made 8-of-15 for 53.3 percent.

Up 29-20 after a basket from Pal, U-Mary cut the lead to 29-25 after a three from Hellebust. However, Thompson had his third three of the half as USF re-established a 34-27advantage with 2:40 to play. After Josh Sipes hit his third three of the half for the Marauders, both teams finished the final 2:51 without scoring as the Cougars led, 34-30, at the break.

In the opening half, USF was 14-of-30 for 46.7 percent from the field and made 6-of-10 from 3-point range but didn't attempt a free throw. U-Mary, which was 9-of-20 from the field for 45 percent, hit 5-of-12 from 3-point range and stayed close by making 7-of-8 from the foul line. USF had a 16-11 margin on the boards and committed just four turnovers. USF was led by Grinde with 14 points while Thompson had nine points. 

After Wyatt Carr hit a three for the Marauders to open the second half, Thompson connected from downtown for a 37-33 USF advantage at the 19:19 mark.  With 17:15 to play Devin Green's lay-up gave USF a 41-35 lead.  But the homestanding Maruaders responded with an 11-6 run as a three from Carr cut USF's lead to 47-46 (10:57).

Once again, USF responded in kind. The Cougars picked up a basket inside from Slater and then Grinde had five straight points as USF took a 54-46 advantage with 8:26 to play. At that point, the offenses started to struggle as defenses controlled the action. USF didn't score for 7:35 but maintained the lead by hold U-Mary to seven points over the final 8:26. Up 54-51, Adams's three with :59 seconds left provided separation at 57-51 and Thompson's lay-up with 18 seconds left enable USF to keep a six-point lead and fashion a 59-53 decision.