The amazing postseason run for Carson Johnson and the MSU Moorhead men’s basketball team came to an end on Tuesday night at Lee Arena.
Johnson scored a team-high 17 points, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the second-seeded Dragons dropped a 93-65 decision to top-seeded Washburn in the Central Regional championship of the NCAA Division II Tournament at Topeka, Kan.
“We knew we needed to play well, because they’re talented all around,” MSU Moorhead coach Tim Bergstraser said of the fifth-ranked Ichabods (29-3). “They started off pretty hot. I just give a lot of credit to them. They definitely deserve it.”
Johnson, a freshman guard, went 3-of-6 from 3-point range and 7-of-16 from the field overall. He was named to the all-tournament team after averaging 18 points over three games.
“It was good for younger guys to get experience like Carson and Shaun (Wysocki),” Bergstraser said. “They had incredible experiences here.”
The loss ended a 13-game winning streak for MSU Moorhead, which earned an automatic berth to the Central Regional by winning the NSIC Tournament. The Dragons finished with a 25-9 record.
Johnson, a former Ankeny standout, averaged a team-high 19.8 points on 41.8 percent shooting from behind the arc over the last 23 games. He blossomed into a star after his redshirt was pulled a few days before Christmas.
“We just went through a lot this year,” said Johnson, who became the first freshman to earn MVP honors at the NSIC Tournament. “I just got to give a lot of credit to the guys in the locker room for believing in me and just trusting me with it.”
On Tuesday, Johnson had 15 of his points in the first half to keep the No. 17 Dragons within striking distance. He made a pair of treys in a span of 34 seconds in the final minute to cut Washburn’s lead to 47-41 at the break.
However, the Ichabods then opened the second half with a 28-8 run to build a 75-49 advantage.
“We’re proud of what we did,” Bergstraser said. “And we really think we can do some special things in the future.”