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Minnesota State University, Mankato
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Page address: https://web.mnsu.edu/sports/hoopsclub/news/html/freepress_122004.html

Mavericks tie school record with 12-0 start

Something special

By Chad Courrier

Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — Whether or not this Minnesota State men's basketball team is the best in program history is yet to be determined, but the Mavericks are doing things that have never been seen before in Mankato.

"This is something special," coach Matt Margenthaler said. "I just told the guys, this is a special group, and the sky's the limit for these guys. Every game, it seems we're breaking some record, and it's neat that these guys will have their names in the record book, maybe forever.

"This is something we should cherish and respect, but we can't rest on it. If we rest, we'll get beat."

The Mavericks remained undefeated at 12-0 Sunday with a 75-56 nonconference victory over Minnesota State-Moorhead at Bresnan Arena. The win equaled a record for the most consecutive victories to begin a season, tying the start by the 1931-32 team.

"It's been tough, it's been draining, both mentally and physically," said junior guard Luke Anderson, who finished with a game-high 24 points. "We've had to push through it, but now we have five days off, and that's nice. We have to keep this rolling."

The Mavericks have also achieved the highest ranking in school history, jumping up to No. 3 in last week's Division II poll. Minnesota State could move up because Montevallo (Ala.) College lost this week.

"It's cool," Anderson said. "It's fun to play with a target on your back, and every team giving you their best game. We want the competition at its highest level."

When discussion about the best team ever at Minnesota State, it's a sketchy debate. The Mavericks have played in just five national tournaments, with the 1946-47 team reaching the championship game of the NAIA national tournament.

Younger fans often refer to the 1975-76 team, led by Elisha McSweeney, that tied for the North Central Conference championship and reached the regional tournament Minnesota State had had four 20-win seasons, with the 1978-79 team winning 23.

"I don't think we'll be satisfied until the end of the season," Anderson said. "Being 12-0 is nice, but we have work to do."

Senior Jamel Staten, the Mavericks' leading scorer and rebounder, had a bad ankle and sat out the first 11 minutes of the game, but he made an immediate impact when he entered, with the game tied at 21. He scored on the break off a nice pass from Joe Williams, then scored on a tip-in three minutes later. He followed with a 3-pointer that put the Mavericks up 34-28 with 3:52 remaining in the half.

Staten fed Luke Anderson for a layup that stretched the lead to 10, but Minnesota State-Moorhead closed the gap to 40-34 by halftime.

The Mavericks held the Dragons scoreless for a five-minute stretch of the second half, pushing the pace as far as they could and scoring 10 straight points to increase the lead to 65-43.

Joe Williams added 13 points, and Gameli Ahelegbe - starting in place of Staten - had a career-high 10 rebounds and three steals. Andy Moeller had a game-high seven assists.

The Mavericks set a school-record with 12 blocked shots, four by center Chris Whitfield. It's the second time this season that record has been broken.

Minnesota State is now off until Dec. 29-30 when they play Central Washington and Western Oregon at a tournament in Monmouth, Ore., then open the NCC schedule with a road game at Minnesota-Duluth on Jan. 6.

"One problem we've had is that we need to get to the conference games," Margenthaler said. "We've had so many nonconference games, and our kids know that talent-wise, we're better than the teams we're playing.

"But we've done what we had to do. You know the intensity is going to pick up when we get to the conference games."

MINNESOTA STATE-MOORHEAD 56

  • Anderson 3-9 2-2 9
  • Isaacson 3-6 1-4 7
  • Small 1-8 1-2 4
  • Globys 4-14 0-0 10
  • Hoeper 2-4 0-0 5
  • Strouth 0-1 0-0 0
  • Aalto 4-9 3-4 14
  • Buchanan 3-9 1-2 7
  • Nelson 0-2 0-2 0
  • Totals: 20-62 8-16 56

MINNESOTA STATE 76

  • Ahelegbe 1-6 0-0 3
  • Anderson 8-18 7-8 24
  • Whitfield 1-4 3-4 5
  • Moeller 3-5 0-0 7
  • Williams 6-12 1-1 13
  • Thomason 3-10 0-0 7
  • Staten 2-6 2-3 7
  • Babcock 0-0 0-0 0
  • West 0-0 0-0 0
  • Swetalla 1-1 0-0 3
  • Van Cleave 0-1 0-0 0
  • Trotter 1-1 0-0 2
  • Mergen 0-0 0-0 0
  • Shepp 1-2 2-2 4
  • Totals: 27-66 15-18 76

Halftime

  • Minnesota State 40
  • Minnesota State-Moorhead 34

Three-point shooting

Minnesota State-Moorhead 8-22

  • Anderson 1-4
  • Small 1-3
  • Globys 2-5
  • Hoeper 1-2
  • Aalto 3-6
  • Buchanan 0-2

Minnesota State 6-21

  • Ahelegbe 1-3
  • Anderson 1-6
  • Moeller 1-2
  • Williams 0-1
  • Thomason 1-5
  • Staten 1-3
  • Swetalla 1-1

Rebounds

  • Minnesota State-Moorhead 40
    • Isaacson 14
  • Minnesota State 45
    • Ahelegbe 10

Assists

  • Minnesota State-Moorhead 13
    • Anderson 3
    • Small 3
  • Minnesota State 21
    • Moeller 7

Steals

  • Minnesota State-Moorhead 7
    • Isaacson 2
    • Hoeper 2
    • Buchanan 2
  • Minnesota State 9
    • Ahelegbe 3

Turnovers

  • Minnesota State-Moorhead 16
  • Minnesota State 12

Total fouls

  • Minnesota State-Moorhead 12
  • Minnesota State 12
  • Fouled out: none
  • Technical fouls:
    • Minnesota State-Moorhead (Globys)
    • Minnesota State (Moeller)

Attendance: 919