SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Taylor Braun scored 27 points and Marshall Bjorklund had 18 points and 10 rebounds to help North Dakota State defeat UMKC 69-58 Sunday night in the Summit League tournament quarterfinals.
Braun had 24 points in the second half and was 16 of 18 for the game from the free-throw line. Lawrence Alexander chipped in 14 points for the third-seeded Bison (23-9), who face No. 2 seed Western Illinois in the semifinals on Monday. The Leathernecks (22-7) beat South Dakota 54-53 on Saturday.
UMKC (8-24), the No. 6 seed, led 22-19 at halftime. But the Bison took the lead for good at 28-26 and stretched the lead to as many as 14 points.
Reserve Trinity Hall led the Kangaroos with 14 points. UMKC, which last won a Summit League tournament game since 2007, is leaving the league to join the Western Athletic Conference next season.
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