BROOKINGS, S.D. – (UND Athletics) The North Dakota men’s basketball team started their two game South Dakota road swing on Thursday night with a trip to Brookings to take on South Dakota State University. After a nail biter in Grand Forks last month against the Jackrabbits, the Hawks went cold from the floor; falling 96-73.
Tsonte Tsartsidze had his second double-double of the season as he led the Hawks with 18 points and ten rebounds. He shot 8-13 from the floor and made 2-4 three pointers. He was joined in double figures by B.J. Omot and Matt Norman, who each scored 17 and Brady Danielson who scored 11. Omot dished out three assists to lead the Hawks.
For the game, the Hawks shot 43.8% from the field and 31.3% from downtown while the Jackrabbits shot 61.7% from the floor and 58.3% from beyond the arc.
SDSU got on the board first, and then Omot scored his first bucket at the 17:58 mark of the first half to make it 2-2, but SDSU scored the next seven points and led the rest of the game. The Hawks came within two at the 12:02 mark of the first half following a jumper from Tsartsidze, part of five straight points by the big man, but could not come any closer. At the end of the half Treysen Eaglestaff hit a three pointer to bring the Hawks back within nine at 44-35 at the intermission.
In the second half, the Hawks shot over 50% from the floor but the Jackrabbits could not miss as they shot over 70% from the field and 66.7% from beyond the arc. Omot and Norman both scored ten in the second half to tie for the team lead in the half, with Danielson and Tsartsidze each scoring eight in the frame. Elijah Brooks got on the board in the second half, scoring in his second straight appearance.
North Dakota will head to Vermillion to take on the University of South Dakota Saturday afternoon. The game will be carried on the Home of Economy Radio Network and Midco+.
Postgame Notes
- Following the result, North Dakota leads the all-time series 105-94.
- Tsartsidze scored 10 points in the first half, and grabbed eight boards—nearly reaching a double-double in the first 20 minutes.
- UND started 0-9 from three point range, but went 10-23 from beyond the arc the rest of the way.
- The Hawks scored nine second chance points to just two for the Jackrabbits.
- Norman scored in double figures for the eighth straight game, and Tsartsidze for the fifth straight game.
- The Hawks had a 7-4 edge in assists at halftime but the Jackrabbits would finish with a 16-12 edge in helpers.
How It Happened
First Half
- 14:57 – SDSU 9, UND 4
- 11:45 – SDSD 11, UND 9
- 7:12 – SDSU 25, UND 18
- 3:24 – SDSU 30, UND 25
- 0:00 – SDSU 44, UND 35
Second Half
- 15:00 – SDSU 57, UND 42
- 11:52 – SDSU 67, UND 48
- 7:12 – SDSU 83, UND 61
- 2:37 – SDSU 94, UND 68
- 0:00 – SDSU 96, UND 73
Game Recap: Men’s Basketball | 2/2/2023 9:39:00 PM | Josh McSwain, FightingHawks.com
