Bulldogs top Huskies

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

The University of Minnesota Duluth men’s basketball program continued to have success in a hostile environment, moving to 2-0 on the road this season as they held on late for an eventual 85-80 road victory over Michigan Technological University on Saturday afternoon at SDC Gymnasium.

A back-and-forth first half saw the two teams draw even near the 10-minute mark as a Brandon Myer three-pointer knotted things up at 15-all for the Bulldog cagers and began an 11-0 run for UMD (5-1) over 2:43 of game action. Michigan Tech (2-2) began its own run, doubling up the Bulldogs 12-6 over the following 4:23 to pull even at 27-27 and eventually taking the lead for the first time in nearly 10 minutes at 37-36 inside the final minute of the half. A Myer lay-up and a pair of free throws from Logan Rohrscheib put an end to the momentum as UMD took a 40-37 lead to the break.

The two teams once again found themselves tied at 44-44 early in the second when Trevor Entwisle cashed in a three-pointer for the Bulldogs, and opening up another UMD run. The Bulldogs sank four three pointers in 3:28, expanding their lead from 55-53 to 67-58 when Hunter Plamann sunk three of his team-leading 19 points. Myer  added 18 points and a game-high 12 boards while Alex Illikainen had 16 points for the Bulldogs as they held off Tech the rest of the way, despite a game-high 34 points by Tommy Lucca for the Huskies.

Defensively, UMD grabbed 26 rebounds and knocked back a pair of blocks while holding Michigan Tech to 46.3 percent shooting in the game, and 7-of-22 from three-point range. The Huskies went to the line just 12 times, for 11 points. Myer led all players with 12 rebounds, while Lucca added eight assists to his day. Entwisle led the Bulldogs with four of the team’s 14 dimes.

Both teams were hot from the floor, with UMD shooting 44.3 percent to the Huskies’ 46.3 percent. The different came from the Bulldogs’ 10 three-pointers, shooting 38.5 percent from range, while the Huskies hits seven. UMD finished 21-of-25 from the free-throw line in the victory, drawing 22 fouls.