The Bemidji State University men’s basketball team missed nine free throws and hit just three 3-pointers, but played well enough on the defensive end to prevail 64-61 against Upper Iowa University Friday in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference/Sanford Health Men’s Basketball Semifinals in Rochester, Minn.

The Beavers now advance to the NSIC Tournament Finals for the first time since the current format begin in 2000. BSU will play the winner of the second semifinal tonight between Augustana College and Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Senior Dermaine Crockrell (G, Mesa, Ariz.) led the Beavers with 17 points on 7-of-11 (63.6%) shooting from the field and added five rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Both senior Mason Walters (F, Milton, Wis.) and junior Zach Noreen (F, Avon, Minn.) scored 13 points, while Noreen posted a team-best seven rebounds. Senior Lance Rongstad (G/F, Eleva, Wis.) scored all of his 10 points in the second half on 3-of-4 shooting from the field and a 4-of-4 effort from the line.

Bemidji State went 7-of-16 (43.8%) from the charity stripe and 3-for-11 (27.3%) from downtown, but shot 58.7 percent from the field – its second highest field goal percentage this season. BSU was just 1-of-9 from 3-point range until hitting two big 3-pointers in the final 1:25 of game time. Upper Iowa shot 43.9 percent from the field. The lead changed 13 times in the second half, while the Peacocks tied the game seven times.

The Beaver offense struggled in the first eight minutes of play and with only a bucket from Noreen and junior forward Maxie Rosenbloom (St. Paul, Minn.) trailed the Peacocks 11-4 with 11:59 showing on the clock. A 3-pointer by UIU with 9:36 remaining handed it an 18-8 lead, but the Beavers countered with buckets on consecutive possessions and trialed by six at 18-12.

The teams traded buckets until a 4-0 run by UIU handed it a 28-20 lead with 2:34 left in the opening half, but the Beavers posted the final five points of the frame to cut the deficit to just three at 28-25 heading into the locker room. Rongstad didn’t score in the first half and Walters had just two points.

The Beavers came out of the break with a purpose and used an 8-1 run to take a 33-29 lead with 16:59 showing on the game clock. Rongstad scored the first four points of the half for BSU. Upper Iowa battled back and scored four straight to knot the contest up 33-33.

With 11:04 left Rongstad drove hard to the hole and converted on a layup to put the Beavers ahead 41-40, but the Peacocks followed with a 4-0 run that gave it a 44-41 advantage. Buckets from Walters and Noreen, then a 3-pointer from Noreen swung the lead back to BSU 48-44 as the seesaw match continued with 8:01 to go.

After a 4-0 run by UIU to tie the game for the seventh time, Walters scored on a runner and was fouled, but missed the and-one opportunity. Right away on the other end, Jake Hughes converted on a layup and was fouled, as he made his free throw it gave Upper Iowa the lead 51-50 with just over five minutes left.

Two Rongstad free throws put the Beavers ahead by three at 56-53 with just under four minutes to play, but a UIU 3-pointer with just two seconds left on the shot clock tied the game with 3:16 remaining.

Crockrell took over the final two minutes, starting with a layup with 2:20 left, but again, the Peacocks responded. Crockrell isolated his defender on the next possession and pulled up for a 3-pointer atop the key and knocked it down for the lead. Upper Iowa missed a 3-point attempt on the other end and the Beavers had a chance to make it a two possession contest. With time winding down on the shot clock, Crockrell dished the ball to Walters, who hit just the third BSU 3-pointer of the game to hand the Beavers a 64-58 lead.

The Peacocks came down and converted on an old fashioned 3-point play and the lead was just three. With 13 ticks left Walters was fouled and went to the line with an opportunity to ice the victory, but he missed the open end of the one-and-one and the Peacocks came down with the board. They brought the ball down and got a good look at a game-tying 3-pointer, but it hit the back iron and Rongstad came down with the rebound as time expired.