The University of Minnesota Duluth couldn't have had a much more exciting start to its 2016 campaign. UMD battled the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in an exhibition matchup on Saturday evening, but fell just short with a 97-93 double overtime loss.

Plenty of new faces saw the floor for the Bulldogs - four first-year freshman appeared in their first collegiate game. Head coach Matt Bowen commented on the youth of UMD and what the team took away from the exhibition. "It was a great learning experience, a tight game, back and forth. River Falls' in-game experience won the game," Bowen said. "We had numerous opportunites to put the game way and didn't do it. It was an invaluable learning experience that we'll grow from and learn from."

UMD outshot the Falcons 50% to 42.3%, while pulling in three more rebounds as well. Sophomore forward Sean Burns picked up a team-leading 20 points on seven of nine from the field. Burns added five rebounds, two blocks, and a pair of assists. Three other Bulldog forwards tallied double digit points - junior Jake Wilson (14), freshman Luke Harris (13), and freshman Brandon Myer (12). Senior forward Garret Pearson put out a dominating performance for UWRF, recording 25 points and 11 rebounds. UMD will look to improve on its three point shooting moving into the regular season, as the team connected on just four of 19 shots from behind the arc. 

The Bulldogs were slow to start the game, quickly falling behind 8-2 after a pair of Falcon three pointers. UMD played from behind much of the first half, until senior forward Charles Benson gave the team its first lead of the game with 4:52 remaining in the first half. The Bulldogs were able to extend their lead to as much as eight, but ended the half holding onto a 37-32 advantage. Wilson picked up eight points in the first half to go along with five rebounds. Junior guard Kyle Schalow, the lone returning starter from the 2015-16 season, netted six first half points on 2-4 shooting.

UMD maintained a lead for the entire second half, including a game-high 14 point lead just past the halfway point in the period. UW-River Falls was unwilling to be put away, as they responded to many Bulldog attempts to further extend the lead. UMD held a 67-54 lead with 7:15 remaining, but a fastbreak layup by Booker Coplin of the Falcons sparked 14-3 run to cut the Bulldog lead to just two points. After UWRF tied the game at 72, Burns netted a clutch basket and free throw to take a three point lead. Another free throw by Burns eventually put UMD ahead 76-74 with just 11 seconds remaining. The Bulldogs forced a Falcon miss, but sophomore guard Clay Seifert grabbed an offensive rebound and put-back as the buzzer sounded to force overtime.

After trading baskets for much of the first overtime, UMD found itself facing an 82-81 deficit with less than a minute remaining. Wilson was fouled on a jumper with 11 seconds left, and converted on one of two free throws to tie the game and force a second overtime.

The Bulldogs played from behind much of the second overtime, but were unable to match the Falcons after a three pointer put UWRF up 94-91. UMD couldn't convert on a game-tying shot with 16 seconds to go, leading to an open layup for River Falls to cap off the game.

The Bulldogs will look to open their regular season with a pair of games at the Wisconsin Dells next Friday and Saturday night. The home opener for UMD is Nov. 26 against Michigan Tech University.