Crookston, Minn. – No. 23 MSUM overcame a tied game at the half, outscoring the Golden Eagles by eight in the second half to escape with an 85-77 victory over Minnesota Crookston.
 
The Golden Eagles fall to 2-23 (1-18 NSIC), while the Dragons win their 20^th game of the season.
 
Minnesota Crookston would get off to a good start, taking a 5-4 lead on two straight buckets from Blaize Sagna (So., G, London, England).
 
Sagna would score the first seven points of the game for the Golden Eagles.
 
The game would go back-and-forth through the first nine minutes of the game.
 
MSUM would eventually extend their lead to 28-18, but an old-fashioned three point play would cut the lead to just seven.
 
A Jacob Beeninga three would give the Dragons a ten point lead late in the half, but Xzavier Jones (Jr., G, Milwaukee, Wis.) and Rambo Badyal (Sr., G, Kelowna, British Columbia) would spearhead a 10-0 run in the final two minutes to knot things up at the half.
 
MSUM would come out of the halftime break and score the first seven points of the half, but Chandler Meeks (Fr., G, Omaha, Neb.) would halt the run with a pull-up jumper.
 
Jones would cash in on a three from the right corner, but MSUM would answer with a 10-0 run of their own to take an 11 point lead.
 
MSUM would eventually extend their lead up to 17, but the Golden Eagles would fight back and make it an eight point game late, but it would be too little, too late, as the Golden Eagles would fall by eight.
 
Jones finished with a career-high 23 points, while pulling down five rebounds. Sagna and Badyal would finish with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
 
The Golden Eagles outshot the Dragons from the field and from deep, but MSUM got to the free throw line 25 times, compared to just eight for the Golden Eagles.
 
Minnesota Crookston will celebrate their lone senior, Badyal, tomorrow afternoon for senior day. Tip-off with Northern State is set for 3:30 PM.