by Jacob Pumphrey
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Junior guard Treysen Eaglestaff delivered 31 points on a career-high ten made shots, North Dakota went toe-to-toe with Utah Valley inside, and the Hawks finished the back-and-forth affair in the win column treating a lively Betty Englestad Sioux Center, jam packed with nearly 1,000 local elementary kids, to a 77-71 victory in the home opener on Thursday afternoon.
It was a battle from start to finish as a frantic pace developed early and arose several more times throughout the non-conference match up. The action featured 23 lead changes with the two sides deadlocked seven times. UND bested the Wolverines inside matched their Western Athletic Conference opposition in rebounding (38-38) which included 15 offensive rebounds in addition to finishing +2 in paint points (38-36).
Trailing 57-56 with 5:50 remaining in the game, junior guard Eli King stuffed a baseline shot attempt to keep the deficit at one and 15 seconds later Eaglestaff nailed a step-back three from the right wing to push the Hawks out front 59-57. The following trip down the floor, sophomore guard Mier Panoam remained instep with a driving Trevan Leonhardt and denied a shot off the glass with 5:11 to play.
While Eaglestaff’ first three-point make of the afternoon, a rhythm three around the 15:20 mark of the second half, cut the Hawks’ deficit to one at 43-42 and his second gave the host a lead with under six to play, it was his third hit from deep, with less than 3:30 to play, that put the Hawks up seven at 64-57. The lead grew to nine on UND’s next possession as Panoam helped a trapped Eaglestaff along the right wing before driving by a defender and finishing through contact with a successful free throw attempt moments later.
UND put the Wolverines away at the stripe as four different Hawks knocked in free throws in the final minute with perfect trips to the line from junior forward Dariyus Woodson, Eaglestaff and Panoam.
Not to be lost in Eaglestaff’s scoring output was senior forward Amar Kuljuhovic’s 17 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting with five makes from the charity stripe. He added six rebounds with five coming in the second half. Additionally, King, who finished with just a bucket, delivered in every other aspect of the box score recording a game-high eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. His first ten minutes were pivotal for the Hawks as King grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds and two steals.
