SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – North Dakota State had four players score in double digits as the Bison earned an 89-79 victory over South Dakota State in the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center on Monday, March 6. NDSU advanced to the Summit League Men’s Basketball Championship while SDSU’s season ended with a 19-13 overall record.
North Dakota State jumped out to an early advantage and led by as many as 15 in the first half. An Andrew Morgan completed three-point play put the Bison ahead, 21-6, as part of a 17-0 run with 11 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in the opening half. The Bison took the lead by outshooting the Jackrabbits 57-19% from the floor during the span.
The Jackrabbits worked their back into the matchup by going on a 10-point scoring run. A set of consecutive field goals by Alex Arians capped the spree making it a 25-24 margin at the 5:33 mark. SDSU took its second lead of the first half following an Arians jumper with 4:14 to go as the Jacks went up 28-27.
Following an Arians free throw, NDSU responded with a six-point scoring run then used a separate stretch of five straight points to eventually take a 40-34 lead into halftime. The Jackrabbits stuck with the Bison through 20 minutes behind 13 points from Arians and nine from Matt Mims.
An Arians field goal and Mims 3-pointer cut the deficit to NDSU, 42-39, in the early moments of the second half. The Bison ensuingly built their advantage back to double digits with 15:13 remaining. A Grant Nelson 3-pointer put NDSU ahead by 20 with at the 7:34 mark of the second half.
The Jackrabbits attempted to put together a final push but it took until under a minute on the clock for SDSU to bring the margin back to single digits.
Nelson recorded a double-double of 20 points and 22 rebounds to pace the Bison. Boden Skunberg scored 24 points and he was followed by Morgan (14) and Damari Wheeler-Thomas (17).
Mims and Arians had notable efforts in the score column for the Jackrabbits. Mims registered a career-high 19 points and Arians finished by tying his career high with 20 points. Mayo contributed with 18 points for SDSU.
NDSU outshot South Dakota State 56-44% from the field. The Bison also finished with a 37-24 edge on the glass.
SDSU’s defeat to NDSU dropped its all-time record at The Summit League Tournament to 25-9. The Jackrabbits are now 4-2 against the Bison at the Summit League postseason championship.