SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Texas Pan-American took advantage of a slow second-half start by North Dakota to defeat the Green and White 78-60 in their final game of Utah's Thanksgiving Tournament Saturday at Huntsman Arena.

Senior Jaron Nash registered his third double-double of the young season with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, but after holding a two-point halftime advantage, UND (2-4) could not withstand a second-half charge by the Broncs (4-2).

Junior Estan Tyler added 15 points in his first career start for his new team, but UTPA forward Shaquille Hines led all scorers with 24 points on 12-of-13 shooting from the floor.

The Broncs would finish 30-for-56 and shoot 54 percent from the floor, while UND managed just a 36 percent clip (19-for-53).

“We let our inability to get baskets on the offensive end effect our defense and that is disappointing,” UND head coach Brian Jones said. “We started slow, then got it to 26-16, but missed some shots and our energy got low. In the second half, we came out and could not get any stops.

“This team has to figure that out and understand that you have to defend consistently and not just do it with energy when your shots are falling.”

Hines sparked UTPA to an 11-6 lead thanks to a 4-or-4 start from the field, but Nash put UND back in the lead at 14-13 after converting a ball steal into a 3-point play with just under nine minutes to play in the first half.

That would spark a stretch of four straight makes from the field after UND started by just 4-for-15 from the field. UND would push its lead to 26-16 as Nash and Tyler sparked a 20-5 run over a five-minute stretch to give the Green and White a double-digit cushion.

That advantage would be short-lived, however, as UTPA, who started 6-for-18 from the field, made six straight shots to pull within two by halftime. UTPA point guard Shaquille Boga had a chance to tie it at the break for the Broncs, but his fadeaway jumper was off the mark as the horn sounded.

Boga, who finished with 15 points, and company came out with a spark in the second half while, UND struggled from the field going over eight minutes in between its first two field goals. That stretch allowed the Broncs to turn their halftime deficit into a 57-40 lead before Quinton Hooker hit a baseline jumper with just under nine minutes to play.

UTPA would not allow UND to get any closer than 14 the rest of the way as the Broncs picked up their first win of the round-robin event in Salt Lake City.

Ole Miss transfer Jakari Joesaar also reached double figures for UTPA, finishing with 20 points. He had 16 of those in the second half as the Broncs outscored UND 49-29.

UND will return to action next Saturday at Drake. Tipoff against the Bulldogs is set for 1 p.m.

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