FORT MYERS, Fla.--North Dakota State let a nine-point lead slip in the last five minutes of regulation, but the Bison survived overtime for a 74-70 win over host Florida Gulf Coast in the championship game of the National Independent Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 19, before a crowd of 2,615 at Alico Arena.

North Dakota State won its 11th straight game to improve to 16-11 overall.  NDSU is scheduled to close out its season against South Dakota State on Saturday, Feb. 26.  Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Bison Sports Arena in Fargo.

Bison forward Myron Green scored a game-high 18 points against Florida Gulf Coast (22-6), the No. 2 team in the latest NCAA Division II South Region rankings and the No. 15 team in the Division II coaches poll.

Green completed his second career double-double with 15 rebounds.  In overtime, he made a key steal at midcourt and converted an old-fashioned 3-point play to put the Bison up 71-68.  His rebound and putback in the closing seconds gave the Herd a four-point lead to clinch the win.

NDSU guard Adam Dobmeier scored 17 points and center Andy Kelchen had 14 for the Bison, who played without leading rebounder David Erbes the whole game, lost backup center Andrew Brown with 8:22 to play, and had Kelchen foul out midway through overtime.  The taller Eagles had a plus-15 advantage on the glass, 52-37.

Florida Gulf Coast lost at home for only the second time in its three seasons of men's basketball at Alico Arena.  The other loss, ironically, came in overtime in last year's National Independent Tournament championship game to Division I independent Utah Valley State, 81-80.  The Eagles were 45-1 at home before losing to North Dakota State.

Green and Dobmeier were both selected to the all-tournament team, and Dobmeier was named the MVP.  Upper Iowa center John Banks and Florida Gulf Coast players Juan Cedeno and Kelvin Coggins were the other three selections.