The Wildcats also got double-figure scoring from Hanif Nixon-Hughes, Terry Bembry and Jamie Mauch in the effort.
"Jamie [Mauch] really carried us in the first half,” Wildcats head coach Scott Schumacher said. “I said before the game that Jamie has to have a big game for us and he did in that first half."
 Hanif Nixon-Hughes passes the ball to Terry Bembry Wednesday during the North Dakota State College of Science men’s basketball game against MSCTC-Fergus Falls, Minn. The Wildcats won the game 88-73. photo by Scott Sorum Advertisement |
But the Wildcats got two free throws from Morris and a three-point shot be Mauch to get back into the game.
With the game tied at 21 in the first half, NDSCS went on a 18-0 run to open up a 39-21 lead.
Mauch hit two more three-point shots, and the Wildcats got points from Nixon-Hughes and Steven Steward during that run.
Defensively, the Wildcats limited the Spartans to just 33 percent shooting from the floor as NDSCS went into the break leading 48-33.
"In the first half, I thought we really turned up the intensity on defense," Schumacher said.
In the second half, the Wildcats limited the Spartans to 10 points over the first eight minutes of play.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats extended their lead with three-point shots by Nixon-Hughes and Morris.
For the game, the Wildcats shot nearly 44 percent from behind the three-point line.
NDSCS enjoyed their biggest lead of the night at 75-50 with six minutes left in the game.
The Spartans closed the gap, and were outscored by only one point in the second half.
But the Wildcats got points from Nixon-Hughes and Morris near the end of the game.
On their final two possessions, the Wildcats went into a four corners offense and ran out the clock for the win.
"They [MSCTC] went to a box-and-one on us in the second half," Schumacher said. "We were able to score some points off set plays against it and our defense carried us in the second half."
The Wildcats improved their record to 5-1 as they get ready to host Association Free Lutheran Bible School in a double header with the Lady Wildcats Thursday.
The women's game starts at 6 p.m.
Wildcats leaders:
Points:
Morris 25
Nixon-Hughes 20
Bembry 17
Mauch 16
Rebounds:
Morris 8
Nixon-Hughes 8
Bembry 7
Mauch 6
Steward 5
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