GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of North Dakota dropped a hard-fought home opener against Missouri-Kansas City 70-63 in front of a Betty Engelstad Sioux Center crowd of 1,789. The Fighting Sioux were led by four players in double-figures, including senior Dustin Monsebroten (Newfolden, Minn.) who finished with 15 points.
After controlling much of the first half, the Kangaroos (3-0) fell behind the Fighting Sioux (0-4) early in the second stanza, but short runs here and there allowed UMKC to regain the lead and take the eventual win.
UND senior Travis Mertens (Devils Lake, N.D.) scored 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and a 4-for-9 performance at the free throw line. Junior Chris Clausen (Adelaide, Australia) and redshirt freshman Nick Haugen (Rockford, Minn.) finished with 10 points apiece.
Redshirt freshman Spencer Goodman (Jackson, Mo.) led both sides with a pair of blocked shots.
UND out-shot the Kangaroos 60 percent (24-for-40) to 44 percent (22-for-50) from the field and 50 percent (5-for-10) to 33 percent (6-for-8) from beyond the three-point line, but turnovers were costly as UMKC racked up 25 points off of UND's 19 mishandlings.
The Sioux scored over 40 percent of their 63 points from the paint and 14 points were scored off of the bench.
Jay Cousinard led the Kangaroos with 21 points, including an impressive 10-for-13 showing at the free throw line. Spencer Johnson and LaTreze Mushatt finished with 14 points apiece.
After scoring first just 75 seconds into the game, UMKC worked its way into a 5-17 lead with the help of a trio of three-point baskets. The Fighting Sioux answered each Kangaroo score, but at 10:17 Kirk Korver scored from behind the arc to give UMKC its largest lead of the game, a 25-12 advantage.
Seconds later, Mertens connected on a free throw and kick-started a 17-8 UND run that brought the Sioux within four points of the Roos with just seconds remaining in the half.
During those final nine minutes, six different Sioux players found the inside of the net. Monsebroten led with five points, Mertens and Haugen scored three points apiece and redshirt freshman Jordan Allard (Fargo, N.D.), sophomore Mike Mathison (Walhalla, N.D.), and junior Derek Benter (Crosby, N.D.) each scored two points.
With a last-second three-pointer, the teams went into the locker-room with UMKC leading 33-27.
Back out of the break, North Dakota carried on the momentum it had built in the first 20 minutes. The Fighting Sioux opened with a 5-0 run and at 16:52 the Sioux took their first lead of the game. Mertens, driving hard from the block, made the basket and drew the foul. With the one-and-one, UND led the Kangaroos 36-35.
UND continued to hold off the Roos and just inside the 11-minute mark it held a 43-39 advantage following another three-point play by Mertens.
After being held to just two field goals in the first ten minutes of the second half, UMKC began to find the inside of the basket again and regained lead of the game. With 4:23 left in the contest, the Roos led the Sioux 59-53.
The teams continued to trade baskets, but with the help of six points from UMKC's Jay Couisnard in the final four and a half minutes of play, the Kangaroos were able to hold off UND and extend their undefeated record.
North Dakota will remain in Grand Forks for the next three games on the schedule. On Tuesday, UND will host Waldorf College and on Nov. 27 it will entertain former NCC rival Northern Colorado. The Sioux will close "Movember" and their four-game homestand on Nov. 29 with a 4 p.m. game against Green Bay.
GAME NOTES: Dustin Monsebroten finished just two points shy of his career high ... Travis Mertens was just four points away from tying his game high ... The Fighting Sioux are now 3-3 in home openers since moving to the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center for the 2004-05 season.
- Go Sioux -
