FARGO, N.D.--North Dakota State scored six players in double figures and held off Upper Iowa for a 72-61 men's basketball win Saturday, Feb. 12, before a crowd of 1,015 at the Bison Sports Arena.

Both teams shot less than 40 percent from the field, but the Bison (13-11) were 20-for-30 at the foul line en route to their eighth straight win.

North Dakota State center Andy Kelchen scored a game-high 14 points and Phil Hahn followed with 12 points.  Both players were 6-for-8 at the free-throw line.

NDSU's Myron Green and David Erbes each scored 11 points, while guards Adam Dobmeier and Matt Gerber both chipped in 10.

Gerber was 6-for-6 at the line for the second time in four games and he grabbed a career-high seven rebounds.

The Bison got 15 points from three bench players in the first half to take a 33-26 lead at halftime.  Erbes had seven points and four rebounds, Hahn canned a pair of 3-pointers.

Upper Iowa (4-19) trimmed the Bison lead to 52-50 with 6:58 to play, but NDSU went on an 11-2 run over the next 2:23 to pull away for good.

Former North Dakota State center John Banks scored 13 points for Upper Iowa.   Cody Lycke also had 13 points, Aaron Carter chipped in 12, and Ernest Addae controlled the glass with a game-high 16 rebounds.

The Bison outrebounded the Peacocks 42-35.  Kelchen led the way with nine boards, narrowly missing his third career double-double.

North Dakota State is scheduled to play in the National Independent Tournament next week at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers.  The Bison open on Thursday, Feb. 17, with Central State (Ohio).  Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET at Alico Arena.