CHICAGO — The University of North Dakota men's basketball team got its best bench production of the season as the Fighting Sioux posted an 80-70 victory over Chicago State on Saturday at the Jones Convocation Center. Reserve guard
Aaron Anderson (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) led the bench charge with 16 points and starter
Troy Huff (Milwaukee, Wis.) registered his second double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds to push the Sioux (12-11, 5-2 GWC) past the Cougars (6-20, 3-6 GWC).
Anderson and his benchmates outscored Chicago State's 38-6 in the victory that was the second on the road for UND in league play. Eleven of Anderson's 16 points came after the break, while Huff added 10.
Huff's first 11 came in a flurry during the closing four minutes of the first half as he and Anderson teamed up for a 13-7 run to make it a 40-37 deficit at halftime. Trailing 33-24, Huff connected on a trio of 3-pointers in that closing stretch and Anderson made a driving layup in the closing ticks to cut into what was once a nine-point deficit.
“Our guys did a great job of responding after not playing as well as we could at NJIT (on Thursday),” UND head coach
Brian Jones said. “I thought our bench was the difference in this one though. Those guys got us a tough road win and all the guys did a great job of showing poise down the stretch.”
Sophomore
Jordan Allard (Fargo, N.D.) filled in nicely in the first half as starters
Patrick Mitchell (Des Moines, Iowa) and
Brandon Brekke (East Grand Forks, Minn.) were relegated to the bench because of early foul trouble. He had eight of his season-high 10 points in the first 20 minutes to help keep the Sioux within striking distance.
Senior post
Derek Benter (Crosby, N.D.) added nine more points in a reserve role on 4-for-5 shooting from the floor. Benter's efforts helped the Sioux shoot 57.1 percent for the game.
The team also buried 5-for-8 from beyond the arc after the break, making 9-of-17 for the game. Anderson and Huff each made three of those in the contest and Mitchell added a pair to finish with 10 points.
The nine 3-pointers helped the Sioux overcome a 15-for-32 effort from the foul line. Anderson did make all four of his attempts in the final 90 seconds to seal the win.
The Sioux did a better job of facing the CSU pressure in the second half, turning the ball over just four times after committing eight in the first half. UND finished with 15 assists as Huff, Anderson and Mitchell each had three. Mitchell also added a game-high three blocks as he continues to lead the Great West in that category.
Senior Carl Montgomery equaled Huff's 21 points to lead the Cougars, who also got a double-double from Antonio Lofton (16 points and 10 rebounds).
UND returns home for a break from conference play on Wednesday when the Sioux will entertain Louisiana Tech for a 7 p.m. contest at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.
– Go Sioux –
