BUTTE, Mont. – Montana Tech's Antonio Snow hit a deep three pointer at the end of regulation to send the contest into overtime. However, MSU-Northern hit several key free throws down the stretch to hold on to the 71-68 victory in overtime Saturday night.

Free throws were the difference in the game. Tech shot just 11-for-20 (.550) from the charity stripe while Northern went 26-for-28 (.929).

The Diggers got off to a slow start to begin the contest allowing the Lights to take a 10-0 run. Forward Paul Engstrom ended Tech's drought with a layup assisted by Reid Baerlocher with 15:23 to go. Tech would go on an 11-3 run of capped off by a jumper by Adam Greger to tie up the contest at 13 all. That would be short lived as Northern fired back to up 12 at halftime.

Northern's lead claimed to 13 (50-37) with 8:17. Tech's Snow and Greger took over for the Diggers scoring 18 of the teams' final 20 points. Down by three points with under a minute left, Greger hit a jumper in the paint to pull Tech within one with 12 seconds remaining. The Lights countered with a long pass from out of bounce and a layup by Dylan Tatarka putting Northern up by three with 10 seconds left. With no timeouts left, Tech pushes the ball down the court and gets a three point attempt by Baerlocher who misses but Brandon Rydberg gets the offensive board. Rydberg dishes to Snow who hits a deep three pointer as time expired to force overtime.

Tech got off to a hot start in the extra period. Greger hits a baseline jumper to start off OT to give Tech its first lead of the game at 61-59. MSU-N would rally late and go up by four with 18 seconds remaining. Greger hits a three with 13 seconds left. The Lights' Warren Edmondson hit two key free throws with nine seconds left. Greger shot a three to try to send the game into double overtime but it fell just short.

The Diggers look to rebound next week in Lewiston, Idaho when they face Lewis-Clark State on Saturday Feb. 14.