by Josh McSwain
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – With a 50-25 margin in the second half, the North Dakota men’s basketball team defeated South Dakota 95-66 in the final regular season game.
Tsotne Tsartsidze was honored pregame and scored 14 points with seven rebounds and two steals. Tyree Ihenacho led the team with a career high 24 points and tied his career high with eight assists, while Amar Kuljuhovic led the green and white with eight rebounds. B.J. Omot led with three steals and two blocked shots.
NoDak got off to a fast start with a 7-3 lead, but the Yotes fought back and took the lead shortly after. UND trailed for about seven minutes in the middle of the half but went back on top with a Treysen Eaglestaff three to make it 24-22. After USD tied it at 24, UND reeled off seven straight points to go back on top; but USD answered with ten straight to retake the lead. Eaglestaff answered with a three to knot it up at 34—it was the start of a 13-2 run that propelled the green hosts to a 45-41 halftime lead.
Coming out of the locker room USD got the first three point of the half, but a 12-2 run propelled the Fighting Hawks to a 57-46 lead, and from there NoDak would pull away as the second half went on; never allowing the Yotes to get within single digits again.
