GRAND FORKS, N.D. -
Senior
Wes Porter (Arvada, Colo.) scored a career-high 15 points to lead the University of North Dakota men's basketball team to a 77-60 victory over Hamline University on Monday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. It was the first meeting on the hardwood between the two schools in just over 50 years.
The victory snapped a four-game overall losing streak for the Sioux (12-11) and also ended a 14-game losing skid to the Pipers (9-15). The losing streak was the longest such stretch against one team in the history of the UND men's program.
Porter and the Sioux put the game away early by doubling-up the Pipers in the opening 20 minutes behind a 52.8 percent shooting effort from the floor. Porter made 4-of-5 field goals to lead UND with nine first-half points. He finished 6-for-7 from the field and made a trio of free throws to reach double figures for just the second time this season.
With UND leading 13-9 with just under 13 minutes to play, a lay-up by senior F O.J. Harrison sparked a 14-0 run over the next five minutes that put some distance between the Division III school from St. Paul.
Redshirt freshman F Pat Mitchell (Des Moines, Iowa) made his presence felt on both ends of the floor in the first half with eight of his 10 points. Two of his four blocks came during that crucial run that saw the Sioux extend their advantage to 18. His four blocks equaled his career-high.
Porter was joined in double figures by three other Sioux teammates as the squad improved to 9-2 on its home court. Harrison finished with 13 points as he connected on 3-of-5 attempts from beyond the arc. Senior G Daniel Harkins (Portage, Wis.) had nine of his 12 points in the second half as he reached double figures for the 18th time this season.
“We played well in the first half on both ends of the floor,” UND head coach Brian Jones said. “We got some easy baskets off of our defense, but we came out a little too relaxed in the second half. We cannot let off the gas like we did, but we will learn from that.”
The Sioux saw their 24-point advantage dwindle to as few as 11 points after the break. Hamline, who shot only 31 percent in the opening half, made 62.5 percent of its field goals in the second half to make a game of it. As the Pipers field goal percentage was improving in the second half, the Sioux saw theirs plummet (38.5 percent after the break).
Hamline G Max Van Ordstrand scored all of his team-high 14 points for the Pipers after the break. Van Ordstrand connected on 4-of-5 attemps from beyond the arc to help lead the second-shooting frenzy for Hamline.
“We have to understand that we cannot just turn it off and on when we want too,” Jones added. “It will be a learning experience for our team. We did get our confidence back with the win and now, we can build off of this for the rest of the season.”
The Sioux controlled the rebounding advantage, which was an area they struggled at during their four-game road trip, at 38-31. Porter led the way with a career-high seven boards, while Mitchell and Harkins each added six.
The Sioux continue their three-game homestand on Thursday night when SIU-Edwardsville visits the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center for a 7 p.m. tipoff between Division I transition teams.
GAME NOTES: Senior F Wes Porter (Arvada, Colo.) led the Sioux with career-highs in both points (15) and rebounds (seven) ... It was just the second double-figure scoring effort of the campaign for Porter, who had his previous career-high of 12 against U-Mary (Jan. 13) ... Redshirt freshman F Pat Mitchell (Des Moines, Iowa) equaled his career-high with four blocks - it was the third time this season he had four rejections in a game ... The victory was the first over Hamline since the 1938-39 season when the Sioux defeated the Pipers, 45-28, on Dec. 9, 1938 in Grand Forks ... With a 38-31 advantage on the boards, it was the first time in eight games that UND led that category.
