FAYETTE, Iowa -- The Northern State men’s basketball team used free throws to work its way into a tie for first place in the North Division of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
The Wolves made 21 of 28 free throws to defeat Upper Iowa 69-60 Saturday in Fayette, Iowa. NSU made 17 of its last 20 free throws. NSU (17-6, 12-4) and St. Cloud (16-4 and 12-4) are tied for the lead in the North.
Collin Pryor had 24 points -- including eight of 10 free throws, 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block for the Wolves. Dustin Tetzlaff added 15 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks.
“We did a good job of going inside,” NSU coach Paul Sather said. “Collin and Dustin did a good job for us tonight.”
Sather said he was happy with his team’s defense and “happy with how our kids fought. We outrebounded them by 15 and we held them to 32 percent (21-65) shooting on their home court. That is how we win games.”
NSU will continue play in the NSIC next weekend at Wachs Arena in Aberdeen by hosting Wayne State at 8 p.m. Friday at Wachs Arena and Augustana at 7 p.m. Saturday. It is I Hate Winter/Parents’ Night Saturday.
Wayne State (13-9, 7-9 NSIC) defeated Minnesota-Duluth 65-55 and Augustana (16-4, 12-4) defeated St. Cloud State 89-75 on Saturday.
NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY (17-6, 12-4 NSIC): Dustin Tetzlaff 7-12 1-2 15, Mitch White 1-2 0-0 2, Geoffrey Firmin 0-3 4-6 4, Michael Emge 1-7 1-2 4, Collin Pryor 8-15 8-10 24, Skye Warwick 1-2 2-2 5, Jared Hannigan 1-2 2-2 5, Trent Zomer 2-3 3-4 7, Mack Arvidson 1-4 0-0 3. Totals 22-50 21-28 69.
UPPER IOWA UNIVERSITY (15-7, 11-5): Tucker Wentzien 7-12 3-3 19, David Smith 1-2 2-2 4, Sam Elgin 7-18 4-6 19, Joey Woods 2-8 2-2 6, Jake Hughes 1-5 0-0 2, Bo Pagel 0-5 0-0 0, Grant Lang 2-10 2-2 7, Jake Shonka 0-1 0-0 0, Jordan Hay 0-1 0-0 0, Cedric Collins 1-3 1-2 3. Totals 21-65 14-17 60.
Halftime score -- NSU 33-29. 3-point field goals -- NSU 4-11 (White 0-1, Emge 1-4, Warwick 1-2, Hannigan 1-1, Zomer 0-1, Arvidson 1-2); UIU 4-24 (Collins 0-2 Hay 0-1, Wentzien 2-4, Elgin 1-6, Hughes 0-1, Pagel 0-4, Lang 1-6). Total fouls -- NSU 17; UIU 21. Fouled out -- No one. Rebounds -- NSU 45 (Pryor 10, Tetzlaff 10); UIU 30 (Elgin 6). Turnovers -- NSU 17; UIU 11. Assists -- NSU 11 (Pryor 6); UIU 11 (Woods 4). Blocked Shots -- NSU 5 (White 2, Tetzlaff 2); UIU 5 (Elgin 4). Steals -- NSU 4 (Pryor 3); UIU 10 (Woods 4).
