Photo Credit: Michigan Tech

DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Duluth benefitted from fortuitous bounces on each of its final two field goals including the game-winner with 2.3 seconds remaining in a 70-68 victory over Michigan Tech in the men’s basketball season opener for both schools. Nate Kindt’s layup with 28 seconds to play tied the game at 68, but UMD’s Ron White got the bounce on a shot from the left elbow to account for the final score.

Tech battled back from as many as a 12-point deficit in the second half by holding the hosts to just two points over a seven-minute stretch. The Black and Gold had four straight opportunities to trim a 59-52 UMD lead midway through the frame and didn’t succeed until the fourth try as Ali Haidar drilled a hook shot. Tyler Molesworth then connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Huskies on top 60-59. Molesworth capped a 12-0 Tech run with a free throw for two-point edge with 6:13 to go.

The Bulldogs answered back with a 3-pointer from Ryan Rasmussen for a 62-61 score with six minutes to play. Neither team score again until UMD converted a 3-point play for a 65-61 margin.

Molesworth rose to the occasion again with a triple. Teammate Matt Esters put the visitors on top with 2:01 left on an offensive rebound and put back. Tech had two opportunities to extend the 66-65 lead but committed turnovers both times. With less than a minute, UMD’s Jordan Schade got an unbelievable bounce on a 3-pointer. The ball hit the rim twice and bounced high into the air before falling through with :52 showing on the clock.

Kindt made a nice move to tie the game at 68, but again UMD got the bounce. White’s shot, like Schade’s, bounced high of the rim before banking in.

“We didn’t get the bounces, but we really hurt ourselves with the turnovers late,” said head coach Kevin Luke. “We’re going to run into that when you play young players.

“Our defense played well in the second half and Molesworth got hot. If we’d have committed to playing defense in the first half, I think we could have led at halftime.”

UMD held a 36-32 margin at the break.

Tech posted a 38-26 rebounding margin and recorded a better field goal percentage than the hosts (49.1-to-45.1). The Bulldogs helped themselves at the free throw line, where they were 15-of-22 compared to 6-of-11 for the Huskies.

Molesworth posted a team-high 17 points including 13 in the second half. Mike Hojnacki and Don Fowler also reached doubles figures with 12 and 10, respectively. Kindt finished with eight points. He, Molesworth and Hojnacki tied for team-high honors in rebounds with six each.

Michigan Tech (0-1) will travel to St. Cloud for a pair of games this weekend. The Huskies will face Minnesota State Moorhead Friday (Nov. 20) at 7 p.m. (ET). and St. Cloud State Saturday (Nov. 21) at 9 p.m. (ET).