Northern State didn't dominate Minot State University in any one area of the stat sheet Saturday night.
But MSU coach Matt Murken said the Wolves owned the toughness category en route to defeating the Beavers 77-58 at the MSU Dome.
"They kinda just played a more complete game than us in a lot of facets, but I think the one thing they did X's and O's-wise or basketball-wise that carried over to every facet is they just decided to out-physical us, out-tough us," Murken said. "That created an advantage for them on the glass, that created more free-throw opportunities for them, that created more shots for them in the lane."
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Daniel Allar/MDN
Minot State University forward Josh Johnson looks to make a move between Northern State's Collin Pryor, right, and Michael Emge during a game Saturday at the MSU Dome.
While the Wolves (7-2 overall, 3-0 Northern Sun) didn't crush MSU in any particular statistic, they held a slight-to-moderate edge in every category but blocks.
Northern State led 37-24 at the half as Collin Pryor scored 12 of his game-high 22 points before the break. The 6-foot-6 senior, a four-year starter for the Wolves, entered the game averaging team highs in points (13.5) and rebounds (6.6).
"I think it's a great performance, but I guess it's just something that you kind of come to expect," Northern State coach Paul Sather said of Pryor's production Saturday. "Maybe we're spoiled, but he's been doing that stuff for us for a while."
Less than three minutes into the second frame, the Wolves went on a 7-0 run in 45 seconds to extend their lead to 20.
Then MSU senior guard Anthony Enriquez broke loose offensively, scoring 15 of his 19 points after the break, including nine straight Beaver points midway through the half. But Northern State traded baskets during Enriquez's outburst and never let MSU closer than 17 points.
Enriquez saved an otherwise stagnant offensive night for the Beavers (1-5, 0-3), who shot 41 percent for the game and 4-of-19 from 3-point range. No other MSU players scored in double figures.
"Anthony was able to get some easy baskets because we helped him do that by moving the ball a lot better," Murken said. "We don't have one guy that can just go out and get a bunch of baskets so we have to do that by committee. ... We have to execute much better in our motion stuff. We have to cut harder, screen harder and move the ball quicker, and in our set stuff we just have to flat-out have better timing and more crisp execution."
Northern State forward Dustin Tetzlaff, the reigning NSIC player of the week, scored 11 points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. Tetzlaff and Pryor attempted 30 of the Wolves' 62 shots.
The Beavers host NAIA opponent Jamestown College, Murken's former team, at 7 p.m. Tuesday.