VERMILLION, S.D.—Vinnie Shahid scored a game-high 27 points and Rocky Kreuser hit a dagger 3 in the closing minutes to lift North Dakota State to a 77-74 win against South Dakota Wednesday inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center.
 
The Bison (20-7, 11-2 Summit) extended their win streak to seven games while South Dakota (19-10, 9-5) lost at home for just the second time this season. North Dakota State, coupled with South Dakota State's win at North Dakota Wednesday, remains a half game back of the Jacks at the top of the Summit standings with less than two weeks to go.
 
The result means South Dakota will play in the evening session of the Summit League Tournament on Sunday, March 8, at the Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls. The Coyotes can be seeded no higher than three and no lower than six.
 
Tyler Peterson tied his season-high with 18 points on 9-of-12 shooting to lead South Dakota. He also had six rebounds a block and two steals. Triston Simpson, who made a half-court shot at the final horn, finished with 17 points. Stanley Umude had nine points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
 
Much like the first meeting in Fargo, the Bison made their move just before halftime. Tyler Hagedorn hit USD's first 3-pointer to give the Coyotes a 24-21 lead with 4:16 to go, but Umude picked up his second foul shortly thereafter and the Bison closed the half on a 14-4 run to take a 35-28 advantage into the break.
 
Shahid had 15 points in the first half, while Peterson had 10.
 
North Dakota State threatened to pull away in the second half when Cody Kelley scored eight consecutive points for the Coyotes to turn a 48-38 deficit into a two-point game with 11:58 to go. Umude converted a three-point play to complete the run to put USD back in front 49-48.
 
Kelley made back-to-back 3-pointers and then a left-handed layup on three straight offensive possessions. In addition to his eight points, he had three assists, two boards and a steal.
 
NDSU regrouped and took a 59-52 lead on a Kreuser jumper with 6:49 left. The teams jockeyed back and forth over the next five minutes before Kreuser delivered his third and final 3-pointer of the game. It came with 1:58 to go and put NDSU in front 68-61. Kreuser finished with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting (3-7 3FG) and had five rebounds.
 
A Hagedorn triple made it 71-69 with 22 seconds left, but the Bison converted from the line to seal the deal. Shahid, an 88-percent foul shooter, made four free throws in the closing seconds while Tyson Ward added two more at the end before Simpson's score at the buzzer.
 
The Coyotes are back in action when they travel to take on in-state rival South Dakota State on Sunday inside Frost Arena. Tip-off for the South Dakota Showdown Series is scheduled for 2 p.m. South Dakota defeated South Dakota State 99-84 earlier this season on Jan. 19.