Official Athletic Web Site of the University of South Dakota CoyotesMen's Basketball

March 3, 2001

VERMILLION, S.D. - St. Cloud State (24-5), continuing their late season run, earned an NCAA Division II playoff berth by turning back The University of South Dakota men's basketball team (22-6), 89-76 in the finals of the Wells Fargo/North Central Conference Tournament on Saturday before 2,650 at the DakotaDome. South Dakota, who has won three consecutive NCC titles, must now wait to see if they are picked to participate in the North Central Region Playoffs. Brackets for the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championships will be announced Sunday, March 3 at 7 p.m. central time. The selection show is available by logging into www.ncaachampionships.com and clicking on the men's basketball link. The Regionals will be held on campus sites March 8-10 or March 9-11. The eight regional winners will advance to the Elite Eight on March 21-22, 24 at the Centennial Garden in Bakersfield, Calif.

St. Cloud, who finished tied with South Dakota State for second place in the NCC, defeated the Coyotes for the second time in three meetings this season. They gave USD just their second loss at home this season (13-2). In the win, St. Cloud used outstanding shooting to defeat the NCC regular season champions. The Huskies shot a torrid 60 percent (27-45) from the field, including 63.2 percent (12-19) from the three-point line.

Leading the way was St. Cloud State's Forrest Witt, who was named the tournament MVP, scoring 27 points against USD and 19 in the Huskies' 74-72 win over South Dakota State on Friday night. SCSU's Jason Kron, also named to the all-tournament team, led all scorers with 28 points on Saturday night. He made all four of his three-point baskets against South Dakota. USD's Jimmie Foster led the Coyotes with 22 points while Nate Tibbetts, who was named to the all-tournament team, scored 20 points and had five assists. USD's Jeremy Kudera, who had 17 points, was also named to the all-tournament team, as was SDSU's Jason Cerveny, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds last night in the loss to SCSU.

As expected, both South Dakota and St. Cloud played solid basketball in the opening 20 minutes with the Huskies gaining a 34-32 lead at the break. St. Cloud jumped to a 14-6 lead in the opening six minutes before the Coyotes outscored the visitors, 14-2, to grab back the lead at 20-16 at the 10:50 mark of the opening half. The teams traded baskets before the Huskies scored the final points of the half on a lay-up by Witt with 1:34 to play in the half. The Huskies, who received 15 points from Witt in the opening stanza, shot 63.6 percent from the field, hitting 14 of 22 field goals. In the first half, South Dakota hit 12 of 24 field goals for 50 percent including four of 12 from three-point range for 33.3 percent. They were four of five from the foul line. Jason Barrow hit four field goals and two foul shots to lead South Dakota with 10 points while Nate Tibbetts had nine points, three assists and four steals.

While the Huskies did not maintain their torrid pace in the second half, they were still a team with confidence. They hit 13 of 23-second half field goals for 56.5 percent, including a blazing eight of 11 three-point baskets. Time and time again, the Coyotes tried to rally but the Huskies held off each charge, usually by converting a long distance shot. The Huskies also made 21-of-23 free throws in the second half as they scored 55 points to USD's 44.

The Huskies surged to a 59-51 lead at the 10:10 mark of the second half and sustained the lead for the remainder of the half on their hot shooting. The Coyotes, a very proud team, kept coming after the Huskies. The Coyotes pulled within 71-66 at the 3:38 mark on an inside score by Foster. With 1:21 to play, Tibbetts hit a long three-pointer to pull the Coyotes to within 80-73. But the Coyotes' charge was thwarted as St. Cloud knocked home nine of 10 free throws in the final two minutes.

On the night, South Dakota hit 25 of 52 field goals for 48.1 percent including just eight of 25 three-point field goal. St. Cloud won the rebound battle, 29-20, as center B.J. Brant had a game-high seven rebounds.