Green Bay uses hot-shooting first half to sink Sioux, 67-41

Men's Basketball Ryan Powell, UND Media Relations

Loyola Marymount knocks off Sioux, 83-60

Missoula, Mont. – The University of North Dakota men's basketball team fell for the second straight day as Loyola Marymount tripped up the Fighting Sioux, 83-60, in Saturday's action at the Karl Tyler Chevrolet Grizzly Basketball Classic.

Sophomore Patrick Mitchell (Des Moines, Iowa) had a career-high 16 points for the Sioux and redshirt freshman Spencer Goodman added 11, but a 17-point halftime deficit was too much for UND to overcome.

“I felt like our energy was not there to start and they got some buckets early on us,” UND head coach Brian Jones said. “We came out flat on the defensive end and did not do a good job of executing offensively and that cost us.”

The Lions shot 53.3 percent from the field in the opening half to build a 39-22 advantage at the break. After a lay-up by junior Travis Mertens (Devils Lake, N.D.) pulled the Sioux to within a point at 11-10 at the 14:14 mark, UND went over nine minutes without a field goal.

LMU took advantage of the drought to go on an 18-3 run and extend its advantage to 29-13. The Lions went 5-for-10 from 3-point range, including a stretch of three consecutive possessions with a trifecta to separate themselves from the Sioux.

Mitchell led UND with eight points in the opening 20 minutes, getting six of those from the free-throw line where he made 11 trips before intermission. The Sioux could manage just five field goals though as the LMU defense limited them to a 26.3 percent shooting clip.  

The Sioux improved their shooting effort in the second half, but the Lions continued to shoot well from the floor as well and never let UND get closer than 16 points. Goodman had seven of his 11 points after the break as UND shot 60 percent after the break (12-for-20).

LMU junior Vernon Teel was a force on both ends of the floor for the Lions, who forced 18 turnovers and had 16 steals. Teel had six of those thefts and led four Lions in double figures with 15 points.

“We are going to have to grow through this. That is why we are here at this tournament,” Jones added. “We wanted to be thrown into the fire early to show these young guys what Division I basketball is all about.”

Senior wing Travis Mertens (Devils Lake, N.D.) added seven points and led the Sioux in rebounding for the second straight game with five. Mitchell went 2-for-4 from 3-point range has made 6-of-9 from that range in the opening two games. 

The Sioux will close out their three-game stand at the Karl Tyler Chevrolet Grizzly Classic on Sunday against Boise State at 2 p.m. CT.
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Players Mentioned

Patrick Mitchell

Patrick Mitchell

F
6' 7"
Freshman
Spencer Goodman

#23 Spencer Goodman

F
6' 5"
Freshman
Travis Mertens

#21 Travis Mertens

F
6' 5"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Patrick Mitchell

Patrick Mitchell

6' 7"
Freshman
F
Spencer Goodman

#23 Spencer Goodman

6' 5"
Freshman
F
Travis Mertens

#21 Travis Mertens

6' 5"
Junior
F