Men's Basketball 12/17/2015 10:31:00 PM UNDsports.com

Bernstine leads UND past Valley City State

North Dakota 80, VCSU 59

Thursday, Dec. 17, 2015 • Grand Forks, N.D.
Betty Engelstad Sioux Center
Attendance: 1,349

	1st	2nd	Final
Valley City State	33	26	59
North Dakota	45	35	80

Key Notes
• Drick Bernstine (UND) had a career-high 20 points and finished with the second double-double of his career (10 rebounds).
• Quinton Hooker (UND) scored 17 points to extend his double-figure scoring streak to 16 games dating back to last season.
• UND is now 22-2 all-time against Valley City State and has won nine straight in the series.

Statistical Comparison	VCSU	UND
FG Percentage	38.3	48.1
3-Point FG Percentage	15.0	33.3
FT Percentage	71.4	68.1
Offensive Rebounds	7	12
Defensive Rebounds	21	31
Total Rebounds	28	43
Turnovers	18	18
Points Off Turnovers	15	21
Bench Points	41	19

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GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Sophomore Drick Bernstine scored a career-high 20 points to lead North Dakota to an 80-59 victory over Valley City State on Thursday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Bernstine, who finished with his second double-double of the season, had matched his previous career-high of 15 points by halftime to help UND (5-5) build a 45-33 lead at the break.

UND's win was their ninth straight over the Vikings (11-2), who wrapped up a three-game exhibition slate against Division I opponents.

Junior Quinton Hooker added 17 points for UND, while sophomore Carson Shanks chipped in with a season-high 11 points. Bernstine finished with 10 rebounds to help UND hold a 43-28 edge in that category and his 20 points helped the home team hold a 40-18 advantage in scoring in the paint.

“I thought we got out of the gates quickly and established the paint,” UND head coach Brian Jones said. “It was nice to see Drick get going offensively. He has been rebounding consistently all season and scored tonight how he is capable of doing.”

The teams went back-and-forth early on as the Vikings only trailed 16-15 before Bernstine sparked a 13-2 run midway through the opening half. That surge allowed the Fighting Hawks to open up a 29-17 advantage on the visitors and keep that advantage into halftime.

UND went to the stripe 15 times in the first half and sank the first 14 of those, while also shooting 62.5 percent from the field. Bernstine made his first five shots and finished the stanza 7-for-8, while UND held the Vikings to a 41.5 percent clip.

VCSU's bench scored 23 of its 33 points in the first half with Darryl Howell, a usual starter, leading the way with nine points. He finished with 13 points to pace the Vikings, who ended up with 41 bench points. L.J. Booth also reached double figures off the bench, tallying 11 points for VCSU.

UND scored the first six points of the second half to push its lead to 18, but a six-minute field goal drought would follow before Shanks ended it with a putback. Fortunately, that drought did not cost UND as the Vikings never got closer than 14 the rest of the way.

UND wraps up non-conference play next Tuesday with a game at Kansas State. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.