Grand Forks, ND (Sports Network) - Jamal Webb finished with 19 points and nine
rebounds as North Dakota defeated the Southern Utah Thunderbirds, 68-61, in a
Big Sky Conference tilt at the Sioux Center.
Josh Schuler added 16 points for North Dakota (15-15, 12-8 Big Sky) as it
picked up its third win in a row. Troy Huff chipped in 15 points and seven
boards.
A.J. Hess paced SUU (11-19, 8-12) with 16 points which he accompanied with
eight rebounds. Damon Heuir scored 12 points and Cal Hanks had 10. Jackson
Stevenett went 2-of-15 from the field to contribute seven points and nine
boards.
The Thunderbirds got off to a slow start and made just 22.6 percent of their
field goal tries before halftime. UND took a 28-24 lead into the break despite
shooting 30 percent from the floor in the first half.
SUU improved to connect on 40 percent of its field goal tries in the second
stanza, but it went only 2-of-13 from beyond the arc. The hosts stayed in
front for the final 17:13 as they converted 15-of-21 at the free-throw line in
the final 20 minutes.
Despite the loss, the Thunderbirds held a 49-45 edge in the rebounding battle.
UND will be the third seed in next week's Big Sky Conference Tournament. With
Sacramento State's loss today, SUU clinched a berth in the conference tourney
as well. The Thunderbirds will need to await the result of the Northern
Arizona-Montana game to find out their seeding.
GAME NOTES:
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