Nathan Beitler/MDN File photo of Minot State junior Darik Dissette (left) taking the ball around the court, trying to find his way around the Bismarck State College Mystics on Nov. 19.

The Minot State men’s basketball team looks to regroup and respond this week as conference play continues, heading on the road for a pair of NSIC matchups following a challenging homestand inside the Minot State University Dome.

The Beavers closed last week with an 8-8 overall record and a 5-5 mark in league play after falling in back-to-back games against St. Cloud State and Minnesota State Mankato.

Minot State opened the weekend Friday night with a 71-57 loss to St. Cloud State despite a strong defensive showing. The Beavers held the Huskies to just 35.1 percent shooting from the field and 25.9 percent from three-point range. Deuce Benjamin led Minot State with 16 points and four steals, while Darik Dissette added 15 points. Lovasoa Andriatsarafara contributed on the glass, pulling down a team-high seven rebounds. An early deficit proved costly, as Minot State trailed 31-21 at halftime and was unable to close the gap in the second half.

Saturday’s contest saw the Beavers battle Minnesota State down to the final minutes before falling 72-67. Isaiah Alexander paced Minot State with a game-high 21 points to go along with seven rebounds and five assists. Dissette followed with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Benjamin added 11 points. Minot State’s defense again stood out, holding the Mavericks to just 16.7 percent shooting from beyond the arc. After facing a 14-point deficit early in the second half, the Beavers mounted a comeback effort, using multiple scoring runs to pull within striking distance before Minnesota State held on late.

Across the weekend, Alexander, Dissette, and Benjamin remained the offensive backbone for Minot State, combining to account for a majority of the team’s scoring while anchoring strong defensive efforts on both ends of the floor.

This week, the Beavers hit the road for two key conference contests. Minot State will travel to face Southwest Minnesota State on Friday, January 16, with tipoff scheduled for 5:30 p.m., before continuing on to the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) to take on Sioux Falls on Saturday, January 17, at 3:30 p.m. as NSIC play moves deeper into the conference slate.