MARYVILLE, MO. – An upset-minded Emporia State men’s basketball squad took advantage of an off-shooting night for the second-seeded Northern State program Saturday afternoon, upending the Wolves 72-51 in the opening round of the NCAA Central Region tournament in Maryville, Mo.

The Wolves struggled to find a rhythm offensively, shooting just 30 percent from the floor and just under 23 percent from the 3-point line.

Trailing 43-23 at the half, the Wolves put together a strong defensive second half, holding Emporia State to just 29 points. 

But the deficit was too much.

Sam Masten finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists in his final career game. Masten also scored his 1,000th point in a Northern State uniform.

Gus Reede finished with 12 points, and Jordan Belka, also concluding his career at Northern, notched eight points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot.

The upset was the second of the day in the tournament, as seventh-seeded Minnesota-Duluth toppled third-seeded Central Oklahoma in the game just prior to Northern’s.

To see a complete box score, click on the following link:

https://nsuwolves.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2022-23/emporia-state/boxscore/13147