BEMIDJI, MINN. –  With a 16-0 run midway through the game and balanced scoring, the University of Sioux Falls Men's Basketball Team (16-5, 12-3 NSIC) earned a 66-54 road Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference victory over Bemidji State (8-11, 5-10, NSIC) at the BSU Gymnasium Friday night (Jan 31).

On the final day of January, the Cougars earned a second straight victory and with it a two-game edge in the NSIC South at 12-3, which is a mark tied for the overall league lead. In addition, USF continued its DII program-best start at 16-5 as they head to Minnesota Crookston for a 5:30 p.m., contest on Saturday.

USF Head Coach Chris Johnson was pleased with the resilience of his team, which battled back from an early nine-point deficit (25-16) to end a two-game losing streak to BSU.

"I thought we had good looks all night and when we didn't turn it over had good offense," said Johnson. I felt like we defended really well," said Johnson, who now has 227 career wins with 211 while becoming USF career-wins leader. "We kept answering them in the second half which was big for us. We had a five-minute span from 12-minute mark to seven-minute mark (second half) when we extended our lead and played as well offensively as we have all year. I am really pleased with our effort but we have another tough one tomorrow and we have to continue to get better," he said.

With 5:36 left in the first half, USF which trailed BSU, 25-16, made its game-defining move. The Cougars ended the half on a 13-2 run, which included a 10-0 run over the final three minutes. Then, USF opened the second half with six straight points and eventually built a 19-point lead (62-43, 5:52 second half) en route to the 16^th win of the season.

USF was led by four players in double digits, which included junior forward Teathloach Pal with 12 points and nine rebounds. Pal, who just missed his second straight double-double, hit 5-of-11 field goals. USF also had 12 points from senior Devin Green, who was 5-of-7 from the floor and grabbed four rebounds. USF had 11 points from sophomore Chase Grinde, who hit a trio of three pointers as USF was 8-of-17 for 47 percent on the night. Also USF had 10 points, three rebounds and two assists from freshman guard Jack Thompson. Junior guard Trevon Adams added eight points, including two threes, and five rebounds.

After leading 28-27 at the halftime break, USF outscored the home-standing Beavers, 36-27 over the second 20 minutes. USF hit 25-of-50 shots from the field for 50 percent and held a 34-25 advantage on the board as they outrebounded an opponent for the 19^th time in 21 games.  The Cougars also shared the ball with 13 assists on 25 made baskets and defended with six steals and two blocks.

Key numbers for USF was a 32-to-20 advantage of points in the paint, 10-4 margin in second chance points and a 22-5 margin in points off the bench.  As for BSU, they hit 19-of-52 shots for 36.5 percent in dropping a seventh straight game. They were 9-of-25 from 3-point range and made 7-of-8 free throws.  Chase Griffin led BSU with 14 points while Max Bjorklund, Logan Bader and Derek Thompson all had 11.

Breaking Down the Game --
USF's Austin Slater, who had five points and two rebounds, dropped in a three (17:46) to help USF pull into a 5-5 tie with BSU early in the game. Slater hit the jumper after an offensive board by Troy Houghton, who had opened the game with a basket. USF extended the run to 7-3 when Pal converted inside (16:31) and Green hit a jumper (15:14) which was followed by a jumper from Pal for an 11-8 lead (13:38).  

USF ended a 2:25 minute scoring drought when Will LyBaek hit a jumper at the 12:03 mark for a 13-11 edge.  Then, BSU took early control in the game by going on a 14-3 run. With that run, the Beavers grabbed a 25-16 lead with five minutes to play after a basket by Griffin Chase. But the Cougars responded with their own 13-2 run, which was started by a basket from Green at the 4:09 mark. After BSU scored, Green converted inside (3:13) plus the "and 1", a basket by Pal and a three plus a late lay-up from Trevon Adams, as USF scored 10 straight points for a 28-27 advantage at the halftime break.

In the opening half, USF hit 50 percent on 12-of-24 shooting from the floor and made 2-of-6 from three. USF had a 17-to-11 rebound edge at the half.

As the half opened, USF scored six straight for a 16-0 run after a three from Grinde for a 34-27 lead. At the 17:31 mark, Derek Thompson converted for BSU to end the run and pull BSU within 34-29. But the momentum was clearly on the side of USF. Adams hit his second three of the game at the 16:04 mark as USF took a 37-29 advantage. With 13:08 to play, Grinde knocked in his second three of the half as USF built a 47-38 lead.

After Grinde hit yet another three and Thompson made a pair of foul shots, USF had a 52-40 lead (9:55) over BSU midway through the second half. Later Thompson converted a three-point play and Grinde hit a jumper as USF extended their advantage to 59-43. Then, USF's pushed the lead to 19 at 62-43 with 5:52 to play on a three from Green. At that point, USF had the working margin needed as BSU could close only within 10 (64-54) late in the game.