Box Score Bismarck, ND – Facing one of the top defensive players in the conference, University of Mary forward Marc Musungayi was perfect from the floor as he exploded for career-highs in points and rebounds. Despite his heroic efforts the Marauders were unable to keep pace with a powerful MSU Moorhead team in an 82-70 loss to the Dragons.
 
Musungayi recorded 25 points and 12 rebounds to lead U-Mary in both categories. A transfer from Iowa Central Community College in his first season at U-Mary, he made all 11 shots from the field and also hit all three free throw attempts. The native from Toronto, OT, becomes the first Marauders player to hit all his field goal attempts in a game since the Marauders began NCAA play in 2006 (minimum eight shots attempted).
 
A slow start by the Marauders would haunt the team all evening. The Dragons hit two treys and Alex Novak scored consecutive baskets as MSUM jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead. Eventually the Dragons advantaged would grow 15 points before a Musungayi basket at the intermission buzzer closed the Marauders within 39-26.
 
After shooting just 37 per cent in the opening session the Marauders would heat up to 62.1 per cent in the second half.
 
U-Mary made its run just before the halfway point of the second half. Jalen Jaspers and Josh Turner connected for back-to-back three-pointers and Alex Dorr closed an 8-0 run on a jumper to close the gap to 53-48 with 12:53 remaining in the game.
 
The Dragons immediately responded with an 11-4 run capped by treys from Jordan Riewer and Anthony Tucker. A three from U-Mary's Brandon Tyler cut the lead to single digits at 64-55 but a three-point play by Taylor Filipek and two free throws from Tucker drove the Marauders deficit back to 14 points.
 
The Marauders made one more late run. A three from Dorr bookended by Musungayi baskets allowed U-Mary to close within 76-68 at the 1:45 mark. The Dragons, picked to win the NSIC North Division after qualifying for NCAA tournament play last spring, shut off all Marauders hopes with a dunk by Novak and four straight free throws.
 
Two other Marauders joined Musungayi in double figures in points. Jaspers, 2-of-3 on treys, scored 12 points while Dorr chipped in 11 with three assists and seven rebounds.
 
Mike Johnson had eight points and five assists and Noah Stewart came off the bench to add five assists.
 
Novak, one of the NSIC leaders in rebounding, blocks and field goal percentage, scored 22 points, hauled down 14 rebounds and blocked two shots. He was 9-of-12 from the floor. Filipek made five treys and scored 19 points while Riewer nailed five trhree-pointers on his way to 19 points.
 
The Marauders turned the ball over just seven times, shot 50 per cent from the field and made seven treys. The Dragons committed just two turnovers, shot 49.2 per cent and connected 10 times beyond the arc. At the free throw line MSUM was 12-of-16 to just 7-of-8 for U-Mary.
 
After a three-game home stand to begin NSIC play, the Marauders next play at Bemidji State University on December 14.
 
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