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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Redshirt senior forward Steve Harris scored a career-high 28 points in his final collegiate game and redshirt junior guard Jakwan Jones had 15, but East Stroudsburg University's historic 2017-18 men's basketball season and the first NCAA Division II Elite 8 appearance in school history ended 79-71 vs. Northern State (S.D.) on Tuesday night at the Sanford Pentagon.

ESU (27-6), which won its first-ever Atlantic Region title last week, also captured its third PSAC championship in the last seven years and won the second-most games in school history behind the 2014 team that finished 30-2 and was Atlantic Region runner-up.

Northern State (35-3), ranked No. 6 nationally and the Elite 8 No. 3 seed, advances to its first-ever national semifinal, using a 14-0 run to establish a 38-32 halftime lead and holding off the Warriors in the second half.

Both schools had won 13 straight entering the night, with ESU's last loss an 89-64 setback at Shippensburg on January 31 before running off an impressive stretch that included victories over seven teams with 20+ wins in its previous nine outings.

Ian Smith, All-Central Region second team, had 21 points and five assists, top scorer DJ Pollard scored 19, forward Logan Doyle scored 13 and Gabe King had 10 off the bench for Northern State.

The Wolves will play Queens (N.C.), the No. 2 seed, in the second semifinal on Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. Queens advanced over California Baptist, 100-94.

The top four seeds all advanced on Tuesday, with No. 1 seed Ferris State surviving Barry 87-84, and No. 4 West Texas A&M over Le Moyne, 87-73.

None of the eight programs that advanced to Sioux Falls have won a national championship, and none were repeat entrants from last year.

Northern State, fourth in DII in field goal percentage (52.1), shot 27-for-47 (57%) overall, 5-for-12 from the three-point line and 20-for-27 at the foul line.

ESU shot 30-for-64 (47.8 percent), but a season-low 2-for-13 from long distance, along with 9-for-12 at the line.

The Warriors had a 19-10 advantage in turnovers, entering second in DII in turnover margin at +6.2, but led just 17-11 in points off turnovers.

Northern State, among the DII leaders at +7.8 rebounds per game, held a 37-21 margin on the glass.

Harris, first team All-PSAC East, second team All-Region and the MVP of ESU's PSAC and Atlantic Region championships, had his ninth career 20-point game, and eight of the season, in his final outing with his career-best 28 points on 13-of-19 shooting.

He set ESU's single-season (66.0) and career (63.8) field goal percentage records, finishing with 1,080 career points (22nd in school history) and 668 rebounds (9th).

Harris had 118 points in ESU's seven postseason games, including games of 22, 15, 15 and 28 in the NCAA Tournament.

Jones, named second team All-PSAC East, had five assists along with his 15 points to give him 187 assists, fourth on ESU's single-season list.

ESU led 21-18 at the 10-minute mark of the first half, including an 8-1 run, but Northern State answered with 14 straight to surge in front.

After trailing 38-32 at intermission, the Warriors closed the margin to four (46-42) with just over 14 minutes left before another NSU run - going in front 67-50 with 6:30 left.

It was 75-58 with 3:40 remaining before ESU closed the game on a 13-4 run, getting as close as nine (76-67) with 99 seconds left.

ESU's season also included its sixth PSAC East regular season title in program history and fifth in the last nine years (2010, 2013-15, 2018), the sixth NCAA Tournament trip and fifth in the last nine years (2010, 2012-14, 2018) and fourth PSAC title and third in the last seven years (2012, 2014, 2018).

Head coach Jeff Wilson, in his 16th year, is 298-163 and entered the PSAC top 10 in career victories. He earned his third PSAC East Coach of the Year honor earlier this month.

GAME NOTES

ESU updated season and career lists for current Warriors:

* R-Sr. F Steve Harris - Career
1st - field goal % (63.8)
22nd - points (1,080)
9th - rebounds (668)
13th - blocks (74)
4th - games (119)
t-1st - postseason games (15)

Season
1st - field goal % (66.0)
15th - points (509)
14th - rebounds (242)

* R-Jr. G Jakwan Jones - Season
4th - assists (187)
8th - steals (64)
5th - free throw % (86.4)

Career (junior)
10th - assists (304)
10th - steals (129)

* Jr. G Nick Giordano - 3-Pointers
Season - 3rd (71)
Career - 6th (141)

* Sr. G Ryan Krawczeniuk
Season - 1st - free throw % (88.1)
Career - 9th - 3-pointers (122)
Career - 9th - 3-point % (37.8)

* Jr. G Kitt Najee Walls - Career (junior)
5th - assists (370)

* Fr. G Marc Rodriguez - Freshman records
1st - 3-pointers (56)
2nd - 3-point % (41.8)