MSU Mankato routs Harding in Division II playoffs

Minnesota State Mankato extended its winning streak to 14 games by beating the Harding Bisons 97-56 on Saturday in a Central Region first-round game of the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament in Mankato.

Senior Tanner Adler scored a game-high 24 points for the host Mavericks (30-4). Junior Zach Monaghan added 18 points and eight assists, while senior Gage Wooten had 17 points.

No. 9 MSU pulled away from the Bisons (15-15) by making 17 three-point shots, a single-game high. Adler was 6-for-10 on threes.

MSU Mankato also set a single-season record with 293 made shots from behind the arc.

Harding of Searcy, Ark., was led by Hayden Johnson with 19 points and five rebounds.

The victory ties coach Matt Margenthaler with Dan McCarrell for the most coaching wins in Minnesota State Mankato history with 284.

The Mavericks will play Northwest Missouri State (23-8) at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the second round.

Riley Bambenek and Isaiah Gray led Winona State (26-8) with 16 points apiece, but the Warriors only shot 39.3 percent to the Bearcats' 61.5 percent.

Concordia (St. Paul) 85, Central Missouri 60: The Golden Bears upset the third seed in the Central Regional in Searcy, Ark., behind Anika Whiting's career-high 32 points. Teammate Rachel Hansen added 22.