GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Freshman Geno Crandall scored a game-high 18 points to lead North Dakota to an 85-68 victory over Montana State in Big Sky men's basketball action Thursday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

Crandall also dished out a career-high seven assists as UND (8-8, 3-2 BSC) shot 58 percent from the floor to move back to the .500 mark for the first time since early in the season (2-2).

Defensively, the Bobcats (7-10, 2-3 BSC) managed to knock down only 39 percent of their field goals and had 19 turnovers that UND converted into 23 points.

"I thought our defense set the tone for the game and really allowed us to gain some separation," UND head coach Brian Jones said. "When we are dialed in like that on the defensive end, then we can play as well as we did tonight."

Junior Quinton Hooker added 17 points and a season-high eight assists for the home team, who dished out a season-high 19 helpers on 33 made field goals.

It was third time in the last four league games that the Fighting Hawks have shot better than 50 percent from the floor and the squad has won each of those contests.

Junior Corey Baldwin added 13 points and Cortez Seales chipped in with 12 to round out a quartet of double-figure scorers for the home team.

MSU freshman Tyler Hall was the lone Bobcat to get into double figures, finishing with 15. 

Crandall had 13 of his points in the first half as UND built a 39-28 advantage at the break.

That lead would grow to as many as 25 before the Bobcats put a little scare into the Fighting Hawks with a 15-2 run that closed their gap to 12 with five minutes to go.

Seales would score eight of his points down the stretch and not let that deficit get any lower. He finished 5-for-7 from the field.

Baldwin, Crandall and Adam McDermott all went 3-for-6 from beyond the arc for UND, who equaled its season high with 10 makes from deep.

UND will take on Montana to wrap up the brief two-game homestand Saturday at The Betty. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

-- UND --