MANKATO, Minn. — The Minnesota State Univeristy-Moorhead men's basketball team played four players in double figures as the No. 11 ranked Dragons downed Pittsburg State University, 73-55, in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division II National Tournament Saturday (Mar. 16).
 
The Dragons (25-5) advance to the semifinals of the Central Regional to face No. 2 ranked Minnesota State University Sunday (Mar. 17) at 7:30 p.m. (CDT) at the Taylor Center on the MSU campus. Pitt State ends its season with a 21-11 record.
 
Deshaun English II posted game highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds in his final collegiate game for the Gorillas. English, who recorded 15 double-doubles on the year, made nine of 21 shots from the floor and added two assists, two steals and a blocked shot to his stat line.
 
R.J. Forney Jr. and Max Alexander added six points apiece for the Gorillas, who shot just 33.3 percent from the field (19-57) in the game. Jordan Frison and Tanner Mans each added five points and two assists, while Jeramy Shaw posted four points and three rebounds in his final collegiate game.
 
JaMir Price and Dane Zimmer scored 15 points apiece to pace MSU-Moorhead. Logan Kinsey (13) and Ja'Kair Sanchez (10) also scored in double figures for the Dragons.
 
English finished his senior campaign with 316 rebounds – the second-highest single season total in Pitt State history. He finished two boards from matching Jim Chroust's school record of 318 rebounds in 1966. Frison wrapped up his debut season with 159 assists – the fourth-highest single season total in school history.

The Gorillas were making their seventh all-time trip to the NCAA-II Tournament – Pitt State's first berth under second-year head coach Jeff Boschee and the program's first NCAA appearance since 2015.