Minot State defeats Hawaii Pacific 71-70 in tournament semifinal

The Minot State men’s basketball team erased an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat Hawaii Pacific 71-70 at McCabe Gym on Saturday in the semifinal of the Hawaii Tip-Off Classic.

First-Half Struggles at McCabe Gym

Saturday’s semifinal contest opened with the Beavers struggling out of the gate, allowing Hawaii Pacific to build a 42-31 advantage by halftime.

A Second-Half Surge

Out of the locker room, however, Minot State flipped the momentum. The team seized a 54-46 lead before orchestrating a 10-0 surge capped off by a three-pointer from Parker Falcon, stretching the advantage to 64-46 with 9:32 remaining in regulation.

Bench Production Powers the Comeback

While the Sharks managed to chip away at the deficit down the stretch, the early separation proved vital as Minot State held on for the one-point victory. The narrow final score highlighted just how slim the margin for error was down the stretch for the Beavers.

Offensively, Minot State relied heavily on production from its reserves. The Beaver bench contributed 50 points to the team’s total output. Parker Falcon led all scorers with 17 points, while Jayse Boatwright added 16 points, six rebounds, and two steals off the bench. Ryan Erikson chipped in eight points and six rebounds, securing four offensive boards.

Rebounds and Turnovers Tell the Story

Minot State finished the game with a 41-37 rebounding edge, collecting 15 offensive boards that converted into 15 second-chance points. Defensively, the Beavers forced 14 Hawaii Pacific turnovers while committing just eight of their own, turning those takeaways into nine points. Kiku Parker Jr. paced the defensive effort with three steals, while Loic Affoumon pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.

Advancing to the Tournament Title Game

With the win, Minot State improves to 2-0 on the young season and advances to the tournament title game. The Beavers are scheduled to play Sunday night at 11:30 p.m. Minot time against the winner of Saturday’s other semifinal matchup between Lake Erie and Tampa.