DENVER, Colo. – The North Dakota men’s basketball team fought hard in the Mile High City against the Denver Pioneers Saturday afternoon, but fell short in the end 78-71. In the game, the Hawks buried a season-high 15 makes from beyond the arc.
Three Hawks (6-13, 0-6 SL) finished in double figures, led by Matt Norman with 18 points. Norman tied his season-high with the 18 points, making four shots from downtown. He also made five field goals and added four makes from the foul line.
Brady Danielson was next in scoring for UND with 15 points. He knocked down five of the 15 makes from deep, which was good for a new career high.
B.J. Omot added 10 points and was the final Hawk in double digits.
In the game, North Dakota shot 37.3 percent, made 15 triples and went 6-for-9 at the stripe. Comparatively, Denver made 50.8 percent of its shots, only made three shots from distance and went 15-for-17 at the line. The Pioneers dominated the game down low, winning the battle in the paint by a 46-20 margin. DU also held a 40-33 edge in rebounds.
Denver jumped out to a 10-2 lead to begin the lead but A’Jahni Levias trimmed the deficit with his first triple of the game to bring the score to 10-5 with 15:26 left before the half. Norman and Mitchell Sueker both added three’s shortly after to bring the Hawks within one at 12-11. Denver pushed its lead back to six at 17-11 and kept North Dakota at bay the rest of the half. Brian Mathews hit a layup to make it 33-31 shortly before intermission, but trailed 37-34 at the break.
Danielson drained a three to open the second half, which knotted the game at 37-37. Denver answered quickly with a triple and Danielson responded with another make from deep to even it up at 40-40. Both teams continued trading baskets and Treysen Eaglestaff buried a triple to even the game once again at 50-50 with 14:32 to go. That would be the last time the game would be tied, as the Pioneers led the rest of the way.
North Dakota will return home for the next two games as they take on Kansas City on Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at the Betty and then host Oral Roberts at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
