Bison Grind Out Victory from Tarleton

Scores in the PDF box

FARGO, ND – Senior Rocky Kreuser emptied a pair of free throws with 7.9 seconds left and gave the North Dakota State men’s basketball team a 54-53 win over Tarleton on Monday night at the Scheels Center.

NDSU improved to 3-2 with a win, while Tarleton dropped to 1-4.

Jarius Cook led Bison by 17 points and knocked out 5/10 of the three-point range. Kreuser scored 12 points and took eight rebounds Grant Nelson he had 11 points, eight boards and three blocks.

It was a defensive battle from start to finish, with NDSU shooting 37 percent and Texans 36 percent. Bison fed 12 three-pointer, including 7-17 from behind the arc after halftime.

Tarleton increased his lead 26-15 with 1:30 left in the first half, but Nelson finished the half-time with a personal 8-0 run to pull NDSU back into the game, including a buzzer shot from three left-backers.

Kreuser hit the third and leveled the game 40-40 with 8:41 left, and Andrew Kallman made a bucket and raised the NDSU lead to a score of 43-42.

With NDSU leading 52-51 and just under two minutes left, Tarleton’s Javontae Hopkins made a mistake and hit two free throws, raising Texans 53-52. After an NDSU blank ball, Nelson blocked Tarleton’s three-point attempt to keep Bison alive.

Kreuser drove from the right side and got an error in 7.9 seconds, leading to his winning free throws.

NDSU sophomore Willie Guy started his career for the first time and scored six points and four assists.

Bison will next host Idaho on Saturday, November 27 at 7 p.m.