Offensive barrage leads to 94-88 victory over MSU-Moorhead

Friday, February 15

Moorhead, MN

7:30 p.m.

St. Cloud State

18-7, 13-6NSIC

Minnesota State University Moorhead

18-9, 12-7NSIC

St. Cloud State

MSU Moorhead

Brindley Theisen moved to fourth all-time in made threes in the Huskies 94-88 win over MSU-Moorhead.

Photo by: Kylie Macziewski

2/15/2019 9:18:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

MOORHEAD, MINN. – The St. Cloud State University men's basketball team has not been lacking in offensive production in recent games. The Huskies have scored at least 90 points in five straight games and watched multiple student-athletes post double-digit figures both in points and on the boards. Friday evening, St. Cloud State needed all the offensive power it could muster, as the team earned an impressive 94-88 win over Minnesota State-Moorhead to improve to 13-6 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) play.

The Huskies led 41-39 at the opening half of play thanks to three double-digit point performances by three seniors. Brindley Theisen (St. Cloud, Minn. / St. Cloud Cathedral) led the way with 14 points on 4-5 shooting, while Gage Davis (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook) and Sean Smith (Seville, Spain / Canarias Basketball Academy) each tallied 10 points in the first half. Smith was also the team's top rebounder with five boards in 18 minutes of play.

St. Cloud State opened the second half with a 7-2 scoring run, jumping ahead 48-41 just three minutes in to the final half. MSU-Moorhead, though, was not about to go away quietly, as the home team continued to cut in to the Huskies lead. St. Cloud State, though, just kept grinding, eventually jumping ahead 70-56 on a three-point basket by senior Jace Kitchen (Dekalb, Ill. / Dekalb).

Even with three minutes left, St. Cloud State still could not shake the pesky Dragons, as they pulled within 10 of the Huskies 85-75 lead and eventually whittled it down to eight with a three-point basket in the final two minutes. Kitchen, though, regained the 10 points advantage for the Huskies with a clutch three before Theisen did the same not thirty seconds later.

In the end, it came down to free throws for St. Cloud State. Adam Heede-Andersen (Copenhagen, Denmark / Stenhus Gymansium) was 2-2 from the line in the final minute helping maintain the 10 point lead for the Huskies. However, Davis, missed one of his two free throws, allowing the Dragons to pull within six at 94-88. The 88 points, though, were all St. Cloud State would allow, as the Huskies closed out the 94-88 win with a block from Smith and a defensive rebound by Heede-Andersen.

Davis ended the game as the team's leading scorer and rebounder, as he tallied a double-double with 28 points and 10 rebounds for St. Cloud State. Theisen ended the game with 25 points on 8-11 shooting, while Smith (16) and Kitchen (13) both closed the game in double-digits.

With the win, the Huskies overall record improves to 18-7 and the team is now 13-6 in NSIC play. St. Cloud state will return to action on Saturday, February 16 when the team takes on Northern State at 5:30 p.m. in Aberdeen, South Dakota.