Fargo, ND (Sports Network) - A layup and a pair of free throws were key as the North Dakota State Bison squeezed by the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, 65-62, in Summit League play at Bison Sports Arena.

Marshall Bjorklund recorded a team-high 20 points, shooting a perfect 8-of-8 from the floor, to go with five rebounds for the Bison (11-3, 2-0 Summit). Lawrence Alexander scored 18 points and recorded six assists, while Taylor Braun contributed 11 points off the bench as the team won for the third straight time and the sixth in the last seven outings.

For the Jackrabbits (10-5, 1-1), Nate Wolters scored a game-high 26 points. Tony Fiegen and Brayden Carlson contributed 14 and 12 points, respectively, as SDSU bowed for the second time in the last three outings.

NDSU opened the meeting on a 19-6 run, but the Jackrabbits fought back late with an 11-2 run of their own to cut the deficit to 29-27 at the break.

Trailing by a point with just under a minute remaining, Alexander converted down a layup with 51 seconds to play to put NDSU on top. Alexander also converted one of his two free-throw chances down the stretch, the same for Kory Brown, providing the team with the three-point margin of victory.

The Bison shot an impressive 57.9 percent from the floor in the second half, while limiting their opponents to a mere 2-of-8 from 3-point range in the final 20 minutes of action.

NDSU survived despite shooting just 10-of-21 at the charity stripe on the night.

GAME NOTES:

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