DULUTH, Minn. -- Junior
Kendale McCullum scored 25 points and Wisconsin-Parkside won its ninth straight game as the Rangers defeated Minnesota Duluth on Monday in Romano Gymnasium.
McCullum had a brilliant all-around game as he added six rebounds, six assists and six steals to his 25 points. He was 9-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-6 from the free throw line in posting his season high for points this season.
Wisconsin-Parkside (9-1) shot 56.6 percent from the floor for the game, which marked the fourth straight game the Rangers have topped 50.0 percent shooting from the floor. UWP also shot 40.0 percent from the three-point line and committed a season low six turnovers.
Kyle Flanagan added 14 points and seven rebounds for the Rangers, while
Jake Verhagen had 11 points and
Joe Borcia scored 10 points off the bench.
Alexander Brown finished with a game-high seven assists for Wisconsin-Parkside.
Minnesota Duluth (1-9) was led by Trenton Krueger who scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Sean Burns finished with 12 points and seven rebounds and Jake Wilson scored 11 points.
Wisconsin-Parkside opened the game with a three-pointer from Flanagan and never trailed in the contest. The Rangers used a 13-2 run early in the game to take control.
Verhagen began the run with a three-pointer and McCullum followed with a layup giving the Rangers an 11-6 lead with 15:11 to play in the first half.
After a layup by Luke Harris cut the lead to 11-8, the Rangers used three baskets from Borcia and a layup by McCullum to stretch the lead to 19-8 at the 12:34 mark of the first half.
The Bulldogs used a 6-0 run to climb to within 24-21, but McCullum answered with a three-pointer upping the Rangers lead to 27-21 with 6:43 remaining in the first period.
A layup by
Bret Barclay gave Wisconsin-Parkside a 38-28 lead with 1:26 remaining in the first half, but Brandon Myer responded with a three-pointer to slice the lead to 38-31 with 1:14 to play before halftime. Two baskets by Flanagan in the final minute helped the Rangers take a 42-32 lead into the intermission.
Burns converted back-to-back layups to open the second half, but Wisconsin-Parkside responded with a 10-0 run.
Goran Zagorac started the run with a layup and McCullum added six points during the run that pushed the UWP lead to 52-36 with 15:15 to play in the game.
The Bulldogs rallied when Wilson drained back-to-back three-pointers to cut the lead to 60-54 with 9:45 to play, but McCullum and Flanagan each made two free throws to up the lead to 64-54 with 8:17 left in the second period.
A dunk by Flanagan gave Wisconsin-Parkside a 70-57 lead with 5:37 remaining in the game, but the Bulldogs reeled off an 8-0 run to get to within 70-65 at the 3:31 mark of the second period.
Brown then connected on a three-pointer and
Chavares Flanigan converted a pair of free throws to increase the UWP lead to 75-65 with 2:32 left to play.
A dunk by Flanigan and two free throws by McCullum sealed the victory for the Rangers.
Wisconsin-Parkside will return to action on Dec. 29 when it hosts Indiana Northwest at 7 p.m. in DeSimone Gymnasium.