MINOT, ND – Taking their first lead of the night on a layup by Regan Tollefson with four minutes left in the game, the visiting University of Mary men's basketball team rallied from a 17-point deficit to knock off previously undefeated Minot State University 78-74 in the Northern Sun opener. The victory is the first win for Marauders first-year head coach Jack Nelson, who had spent four years earlier in his career as an assistant coach for the Beavers.
 
Kai Huntsberry and a big night by the Marauders bench led UMary to its first win of the season (1-3 overall, 1-0 NSIC). Huntsberry finished with a game-high 25 points while just missing a double double with nine rebounds. The Marauders leading scorer also added three assists and two steals, hit three treys and half his shots overall and sank all six free throw attempts.
 
The Marauders bench outscored the Beavers (5-1, 0-1) reserves 43-26. Josh Sipes found his shot and drained four treys in seven attempts on his way to a season-best 14 points. Tollefson scored a career-high 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting. He also added five rebounds. Jacob Jackson had a double double with 12 points and ten rebounds while chipping in three assists and two steals. Treyton Mattern added five points down the stretch, including a big three, and was a team-best +16 in plus/minus scoring.
 
Trailing most of the night to one of the highest scoring teams in the country, the Marauders were down 45-32 at intermission and 52-35 with just over 17 minutes remaining in the game as the Beavers looked to be on their way to hit their scoring average of 95 points/game. Instead, the Marauders flipped the script behind a tenacious defense and huge contributions from the bench.
 
The Marauders began their run with just under 13 minutes in the game. Trailing 56-40, an offensive rebound and putback by Jackson started a 34-22 UMary run to close the game.
 
Fighting to close within 62-56 at the 6:57 mark, Huntsberry hit a driving layup before blocking a shot by Minot State's Max Cody. Taking advantage of a fastbreak opportunity, Sipes hammered home a trey to close within one. Following a Melvin Newburn drive for a Beavers basket, Huntsberry followed up his own miss with a make. A Newburn travel call opened the door for the Marauders to take the lead and UMary didn't hesitate as Tollefson scored inside to give the visitors a 65-64 lead.
 
UMary's surge continued as a Tollefson defensive layup turned into a Jackson basket. Another Beavers turnover allowed the Marauders to claim a 70-64 lead when Mattern hit his lone triple of the day, capping a 14-2 UMary run.
 
The Marauders finished the game at the line. After UMary missed three straight free throws in the final minute to allow Minot State to close within three points two different times, Jackson hit his final two attempts and Huntsberry drained four straight to seal the win.
 
UMary shot 50.9% for the game, including 55.2% in the second half. The Marauders finished with a season-best 10-of-21 effort from behind the arc and made 14-of-18 at the line. Minot State made 48.2% of its shots, making 44% after intermission. The Beavers made 10-of-13 free throws.
 
The Marauders held a 33-25 edge in rebounds and has won the board battle in every game this season.
 
Camron Dunfee led Minot State with 18 points. Jaxon Gunville had 13 off the bench as five Beavers scored in double figures.
 
The Marauders next face a couple of Northern Sun foes in non-conference competition at the Microtel Thanksgiving Classic hosted by MSU Moorhead. The Marauders face the University of Sioux Falls on Friday, Nov. 26, and Winona State University on Saturday, Nov. 27.
 
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