MANKATO, Minn. - Concordia-St. Paul (1-3, 0-1 NSIC) overcame a seven point deficit with under 10 minutes to play but in the end host Minnesota State (5-0, 1-0 NSIC) defended its homecourt 76-71 at Taylor Center on Saturday evening.

Concordia rallied with a 9-1 run over a three-plus minute stretch of play to take its only lead of the second half as Cole Olstad (Elgin, Minn. ) knocked down a pair of free throws for the lead. Olstad and Terez VanPelt (Osseo, Minn. ) led the Golden Bears with 18 points each. Olstad also had a team-high seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and no turnovers. VanPelt dished out four assists and the duo was combined 11-of-11 from the stripe.

The Mavericks countered with a three-pointer from Zach Monaghan on the next possession as Monaghan led all players with 23 points while adding eight assists to one turnover for the Mavericks.

Concordia would tie the game twice in the next two minutes, at the 4:45 and 4:08 mark but would never reclaim the lead.

In the closing minute, a layup by Shea Mandli (Eagan, Minn.) brought the margin to one point, 72-71 and Concordia had the ball twice with a chance to tie but had a layup blocked with 50 seconds left and committed a turnover with four seconds as Monaghan sealed the game at the stripe for MSU.

Mandli finished the game perfect from the floor, hitting all seven shots for 14 points while adding six rebounds and a pair of blocks. Isaiah Thomas (Fridley, Minn. ) scored 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting.

Overall, the game featured seven ties and six lead changes with neither team leading by more than eight (MSU led 42-34 with 18:02/2nd half). Concordia's largest lead was early, a 9-3 edge at the 15:35 mark of the first half. Concordia led for most of the first 12 minutes of play before MSU opened up an eight-point lead. Concordia was able to knock the lead down to just one, 35-34, at the half as VanPelt hit a three-pointer before the buzzer.

The Golden Bears were hurt down low as the Mavericks held decisive advantages in offensive rebounds (18-3) and second chance scoring (21-6) while making 24-of-34 at the line compared to 17-of-19 for Concordia.

The Golden Bears return to NSIC play next weekend against Upper Iowa (Friday) and Winona State (Saturday) at Gangelhoff Center.