Nationally ninth-ranked Minnesota State University-Moorhead overcame a frantic comeback bid by Arkansas Tech University to defeat the Wonder Boys 80-78 in overtime at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville on Saturday night.
The Dragons (4-1) led 69-59 with 1:25 remaining in regulation, but Arkansas Tech’s Marquis Yates scored 13 points in the final minute of the second half — including a game-tying 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds left — to send the game to overtime.
MSU-Moorhead’s Isaac Sevlie scored the game-winning basket on a turnaround jumper in the lane with 6.8 seconds left in overtime. He added a free throw with 0.5 seconds remaining to set the final score.
Yates scored a game-high 30 points for the Wonder Boys (1-1). Nick Wayman added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Wayman also had four steals.
Ngijol Songolo had 19 points and five rebounds for the Dragons. Sevlie finished with 18 points, 16 of which came after halftime.
Arkansas Tech held a 59-46 rebounding edge over MSU-Moorhead, but the Wonder Boys shot just 27-of-82 (33 percent) from the field.
Tech will return to action on Thursday, Nov. 19, when it opens Great American Conference play with a 7:30 p.m. contest against Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Okla. Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will have the play-by-play description.
