KEEP ON DANCING: Emporia State advances in NCAA Tourney with 72-51 win over Northern State

March 11, 2023-Emporia State put three players in double figures and held Northern State to their season low in points in a 72-51 Hornet victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Maryville, Mo.
 
The game went back and forth early with two ties and four lead changes before the first media timeout.  With the score tied at 9-9 Emporia State got a step back jumper in the paint from Owen Long who then assisted Mayuom Buom on a layup to give the Hornets a 13-9 lead with 14:07 left that they would never relinquish.
 
Jackson Moni hit a free throw with 7:37 left to bring the Wolves within 22-17 when the Hornets went on an 8-0 run to go up 13 points.  Kaden Evans started and ended the run with three pointers, the last of which came with 5:51 left and gave ESU a 35-17 lead. The lead would not dip below double digits the rest of the game.  Augustin Reede hit two free throws for the Wolves with 3:23 left to pull within 11 points but the Hornets would score the final nine points to take a 43-23 lead to the break. 
 
The Hornets hit six of ten from beyond the three-point line in the first half while holding the Wolves, the fifth most prolific three-point shooting team in the nation this year, to just a one of 13 effort from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes.
 
Emporia State scored the first four points of the second half to extend the run to 13-0 and take their biggest lead of the afternoon at 47-23 with 17:12 left in the game.  The Hornets led by 20 with 5:49 left when the Wolves went on a final run.  Josh Dilling hit a three-pointer with 5:32 left to make it 62-45. After a miss on the other end Reede hit a three-pointer in the corner and was fouled with 4:58 left forcing Emporia State to call a timeout.  Reed completed the four point play to pull the Wolves within 62-49, the closest margin of the second half.
 
On the next possession Emporia State three offensive rebounds before Long scored in the paint to snap the Wolves run with 4:07 left.  Levelle Zeigler scored inside with 3:05 left to push the lead back to 17 points. He then put an exclamation point on the game with an alley oop lob to Alijah Comithier with 2:32 left to give the Hornets a 68-49 lead.
 
Owen Long led Emporia State with 18 points, a career-high eight rebounds and four assists with just one turnover. He was joined in double figures by Mayuom Buom with 16 points and Levelle Zeigler with ten points who tied his career high with six rebounds.
 
With the win Emporia State advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament where they will take on sixth seeded Minnesota-Duluth. Tipoff is set for 5:00 p.m. at Bearcat Arena in Maryville, Mo.

NOTES
This was the first NCAA Tournament win in Emporia State men's basketball history.
This was the third NCAA Tournament game ever for Emporia State and the first since 2007.
Owen Long's eight made field goals are the most by a Hornet in an NCAA Tournament game.
Alijah Comithier and Owen Long each had eight rebounds to tie Wes Book for the most rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game by a Hornet.