MINOT, N.D. – The Valley City State University basketball teams dropped a pair of exhibition games during a doubleheader Tuesday night at NCAA Division II school Minot State University.
The Viking women fell 66-59 in the first game, and the VCSU men dropped a 61-47 contest in the finale. Both games were exhibition contests for VCSU and do not count towards their overall records.
Up next: Valley City State opens conference play Saturday with a road doubleheader at Mayville State University. The women will play at 3 p.m. with the men at 5 p.m. in Mayville.
Women: Minot State 66, VCSU 59
The Vikings were within one point several times in the fourth quarter, but were unable to overcome Minot State on its home court. Leading 52-51, Minot State used a quick 8-0 run to build a 60-51 lead in the final two minutes en route to the 66-59 win.
Kate Williams and Mackenzie Huber both had 11 points to lead Valley City State. Huber added nine rebounds, while Dierra Diegel finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Valley City State shot 36 percent overall (21-58), 14 percent on 3-pointers (2-14) and 83 percent at the line (15-18). Minot State was 39 percent overall (25-64), 24 percent from 3-point range (4-17) and 63 percent at the line (12-19).
VCSU fell behind 10-0 before battling back to within one point at halftime, 26-25.
The Vikings and Beavers have now split their season series. The Vikings won the previous meeting by a score of 67-66 in Valley City.
Men: Minot State 61, VCSU 47
Valley City State held Minot State to just 61 points, but was hampered by a poor shooting night in a 61-47 loss.
The Vikings shot 32 percent overall (18-57), 25 percent on 3’s (5-20) and 75 percent at the line (6-8). Minot State made 46 percent of its shots (27-59), despite going 1-for-12 on 3-pointers.
Logan Nelson led the Vikings with 18 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Hunter McCalla added seven points and Chris Morgan scored six.
