MOORHEAD — The Alexandria Cardinals boys basketball team wasn't messing around on Tuesday night.

The Cardinals rolled through the Moorhead Spuds 100-72 in non-conference play at Moorhead High School. Alexandria improved to 9-3 overall and extended their win streak to five games.

“We knew execution was going to be important to get on top of them,” said Cardinals assistant coach Tom Miller. “We had to defend them well, because they cut to the basket well.”

Alexandria is ranked No. 4 in Class 3A by Minnesota Basketball News.

The loss broke up Moorhead's seven-game winning streak. The Spuds, ranked No. 9 in Class 4A, fell to 11-4 overall.

The Cardinals went to work early, grabbing a double-digit lead with 13 minutes to play in the first half. Junior Mason Witt splashed a 3-pointer to make it 19-7.

Witt led all scorers in the game with 22 points, which included four 3-pointers.

Five minutes later, Alexandria extended its lead to 16 points when 6-foot-8 Chase Thompson threw down a dunk. Thompson converted an alley-oop lob from Talan Witt to give the Cardinals a 48-28 lead with two minutes left in the first half.

Alexandria led 56-36 at halftime.

The Cardinals pressured Moorhead defensively throughout the contest, generating multiple turnovers.

“Our defensive pressure is kind of what we like to identify ourselves as,” Miller said. “Being able to get deep to scramble a bit, pressure the basketball and then create some opportunities for us offensively from it.”

Mason Witt sank a floater to make 80-50 with 12:10 left in the game. Alexandria held on to the large lead down the stretch.

Gavin Roderick scored 20 points for the Cardinals. Talan Witt had 19 points. Alexandria went 9 of 12 from the foul line.

The Cardinals hit the road and battle St. Cloud Tech (3-11) at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23.

Reign Battle led the Spuds with 20 points. David Mack had 15 points and Brian Zarazua Jr. added 14 points. The Spuds made 7 of 9 free throws.

“They set the tone right away in terms of getting stops defensively and turning it into easy offense,” said Moorhead head coach Matt Ellingson. “It kind of snowballed on us.”

The Spuds host Brainerd (7-7) at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 24.

“We’re going to flush this one,” Ellingson said. “We have to come back ready tomorrow, practice and continue to work to be the best basketball team that we can be.”

ALEXANDRIA: M. Witt 22, Hagstrom 12, T. Witt 19, Roderick 20, Thompson 14, Gray 4, Starzi 6, Miller 3.

MOORHEAD: Mack 15, Wotoe 2, Kromah 6, Zarazua Jr. 14, Battle 20, Feeney 3, Jones 2, Hoff 4, Koffa 4, Bakke 2, Dinukar 2, Dryburgh 1.