Mankato, Minn. The Minnesota State men’s basketball team used a 18-4 run over the final five minutes and 45 seconds of the first half to open a 58-22 halftime advantage and never look back as it downed Nebraska-Kearney, 108-68, to close out the 2009 Pepsi Tip-Off.
Senior guard Jermain Davis finished the two-day event with 35 points and took home the Most Points award and was named the Tip-Off’s Most Valuable Player.
The Mavericks shot a scorching 52.8 percent from the floor in the first half while limiting the Lopers to a frigid 29.6 percent. Minnesota State took advantage of free throws in the opening 20 minutes as it knocked down 16-of-18 shots from the line. The Maverick bench outscored UNK, 28-5, in the opening half.
“I thought we started a little sluggish,” said associate head coach Mike Schott. “About seven minutes into the first half we started playing better and used our effort on the defensive end of the court to generate baskets in transition.”
Minnesota State maintained its defensive intensity in the second half en route to the win.
Five Mavericks finished the game with double-digits in the scoring column led by senior center Travis Nelson's 17 points. Davis added 16, while junior guard Marcus Hillscored 15 off the bench.
Senior wing Jefferson Mason added 14 points and six rebounds, while sophomore guard Stephen Kirschbaum tied his career-high with 12 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including 3-of-3 from downtown and 3-of-3 from the line.
Nelson added seven rebounds for the Mavericks while senior guard Cameron Hodges stuffed the statsheet with nine points, five assists and five rebounds.
The Mavericks shot 54.4 percent for the game and 86.7 percent (26-of-30) from the free throw line. MSU’s bench finished outscoring UNK’s 59-16, and the Mavericks scored 50 of its points in the paint and scored 31 points off 21 Loper turnovers.
The Mavericks (3-0) are off until after the Thanksgiving holiday. The Mavericks return to action 28th against Northern State at 3 p.m., in the 2009 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Holiday HoopsFest. The game will be played in the Sioux Falls Arena.
To view the stats, click HERE
To view the stats of the Minnesota Duluth vs. Maryville Game, click HERE
To view the updated season stats, click HERE