Amar Kuljuhovic (Jr.) chose the perfect time to notch his sixth double-double of the season on Saturday, finishing through traffic with two seconds left to lift the University of North Dakota over North Dakota State University with a score of 60-58.
The Fighting Hawks hosted their in-state rival, the NDSU Bison, in a doubleheader featuring the men’s and women’s team for a day of basketball at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center this past Saturday.
Following the women’s contest, Paul Sather’s squad came out on fire, not allowing a bucket for nearly the first four minutes of the game. In that span, BJ Omot (So.) and Tsotne Tsartsidze (5th) buried a pair of triples to give UND a 6-0 lead.
After settling down, the Bison would go on an 11-0 run to take the lead, a lead that the Hawks would chase until the final minute of the game.
Treysen Eaglestaff (So.) would stop the bleeding for the Hawks, hitting on a triple to make the game 11-9. A few minutes later, Tsartsidze kept the three-point party rolling, canning another triple.
NDSU controlled the remainder of the first half and found themselves with a 30-25 lead at halftime in a low-scoring affair.
Eaglestaff started the second half off with a bang, stealing the ball and finishing with a breakaway dunk to cut the lead to three.
The Bison were able to keep control of the game, answering right back with a three ball.
UND avoided falling into a double-digit deficit the entire game, staying within striking distance in an off-night shooting wise. The Hawks only shot 37.5% from the field on Saturday.
Trailing 53-46, Omot swung momentum back in UND’s favor, barreling down the lane and putting NDSU’s Damari Wheeler-Thomas on a poster to cut the lead to five with under seven minutes to play.
With three minutes to go, Kuljuhovic made a pair of free throws to bring the deficit to one. Tsartsidze hit a deep two on the next possession to finally reclaim the lead for the Hawks.
NDSU was able to tie the game at 58 a piece with one minute to play.
After a missed Bison free throw, Kuljuhovic grabbed the rebound and found Tyree Ihenacho with only ten seconds to play. Kuljuhovic ran the floor, set a screen for Ihenacho, rolled to the basket and finished through traffic to give the Hawks a 60-58 lead with two seconds left on the clock.
UND survived an exceptionally designed play from NDSU, which gave Jacari White an open look from three. White missed, and UND students stormed the court to celebrate a hard-fought victory over their rival.
The Fighting Hawks defeated the Bison 60-58 on Saturday, Feb. 3 to claim first place in the Summit League, winning their sixth straight game.
Ihenacho led UND in scoring, putting up 15 points and grabbing nine rebounds.
Kuljuhovic continued to be a dominant presence in the paint, scoring 11 points and snagging 13 rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end.
Tsartsidze was the only other Hawk in double figures, adding 10 points of his own, hitting on two of his five shots from beyond the arc.
Omot and Eaglestaff, who have averaged over 30 points per game between the two of them, shot a combined 7/21 on Saturday.
Eli King provided a much-needed spark off the bench, scoring six points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists.
UND’s next home game will be on Thursday, Feb. 8 against the Omaha Mavericks at 7:00 p.m. at the Betty. The Mavericks got the best of the Hawks the last time they met. That game was the Hawks’ most recent loss.
Tickets are free to UND students in their Green and White account.
Garrett Webber is a Dakota Student Section Editor. He can be reached at [email protected].
