Minnesota West men hold off Rochester for 68-65 hoops win

The Minnesota West men's basketball team overcame a double-digit first half deficit Monday and then held off Rochester in the final moments of the second half to take a 68-65 home win over the Yellow Jackets.

Rochester raced in front 25-14, but the Bluejays went on a 16-2 surge to move ahead by three.  They eventually settled for a 34-33 lead at halftime.

Minnesota West, now 4-5 in MCAC South play and 12-12 overall, led by as many as eight in the second half, but the Yellow Jackets hung around and kept things close. The game went down to the very end, with Rochester missing a 3-pointer that would have tied the score at the buzzer.

Calvin Flood scored all 12 of his points in the second half for the Bluejays, and Da'Shaundis Moore also had 12. Owen Bielke was next with nine points and six rebounds, and Kewone Jones had eight points and six rebounds.

Minnesota West made 11 3-pointers on the night compared to just four for Rochester. Both teams shot poorly from the line; the Bluejays were 11-for-24 and the Yellow Jackets just 5-of-13. Rochester is 1-7 in the MCAC South and 10-14 overall.

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In boys basketball Monday, the Trojans trailed state-ranked Fairmont by just four, 25-21, at halftime, but ultimately dropped a 67-53 decision to the Cardinals. Fairmont is 18-2, while Worthington is 3-17.

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In area girls basketball Monday night, it was:

Hills-Beaver Creek 66, Westbrook-Walnut Grove 45

Canby 48, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 45

Luverne 60, Southwest Minnesota Christian 48

Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 73, Sleepy Eye 49

Murray County Central 52, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 48

In area boys basketball Monday night:

Jackson County Central 88, Hills-Beaver Creek 77

Sleepy Eye 77, Mountain Lake Area-Comfrey 54

Windom 77, Edgerton 47

Westbrook-Walnut Grove 88, Yellow Medicine East 73

Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 86, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 69

Southwest Minnesota Christian 65, Luverne 61

In area boys hockey Monday night:

Windom Area 2, Faribault 2