SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – South Dakota State outscored North Dakota, 42-31, in the second half to pull away for a 74-62 victory on Friday evening in the second day of the CU Mortgage Direct Dakota Showcase from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.
 
SDSU (5-2) used a 16-4 run to open the second half to pull away from a stingy Fighting Hawks (1-4) squad that was looking to snap an eight-game skid against the Jackrabbits.
 
Filip Rebraca continued his strong stretch of games for UND, leading the Hawks with 18 points on a 7-for-14 night from the field. The junior also grabbed seven rebounds, including three on the offensive end.
 
Caleb Nero also reached double figures for the fourth time this season, striking for 13 points and adding a trio of boards and two assists. Tyree Ihenacho led the Hawks in rebounding once again with eight boards to alongside his eight points, four helpers and three steals.
 
North Dakota struggled from the field, hitting only 24-of-65 from the field. The .369 clip was a season low for the Hawks, while South Dakota State bounced back from a tough first half to finish at .482 percent.
 
Following a Mitchell Sueker basket to get the scoring started, South Dakota State responded with eight straight to jump out to an early 8-2 advantage. In a similar feeling to yesterday's contest, UND struggled to get the offense moving in the early going. The Hawks hit on only four of their first 13 shots, but Rebraca drew a three-point play at the under-16 timeout following an offensive rebound to pull the green and white within four, 15-11.
 
After a 5-0 run pulled the Hawks to just a pair, South Dakota State answered back once again with a spurt of its own. The Jacks went on a 6-0 run, aided by UND going 0-for-6 from distance, to take a 21-13 lead with just over eight minutes to play in the first half. The spurt grew to 10 of the last 11 for SDSU to extend its advantage into double digits, 25-14, for the first time on the evening.
 
Nero and the Hawks started to find their shots over the next few minutes by responding with eight straight, aided by a pair of triples, to cut the lead down to three, 25-22, and force a SDSU timeout. UND started clamping down on the defensive end as well, forcing nine misses from three by the Jacks in their first 10 attempts and seven turnovers to aid the push.
 
Echoing another familiar script from the previous 24 hours, the Hawks really started to get it going in the final moments of the first half. Trailing by seven, UND struck for the final six points of the frame over the final three minutes to pull within a point, 32-31, at the halftime break.
 
Out of the break, the Jackrabbits came out on the attack with the first six points of the frame to restore the seven-point advantage, 38-31, less than three minutes into the stanza. SDSU kept the hot start going through the opening six minutes, extending the lead to 11, 46-35, thanks to a 3-for-6 start from deep in the half.
 
North Dakota battled back to keep the game within striking distance, as Ihenacho and Brady Danielson each knocked down treys and Gertautas Urbonavicius followed with a basket to cut the lead down to six, 49-43, with just over 11 minutes remaining.
 
Six was as close as the Fighting Hawks would get for the remainder of the contest, with South Dakota State pulling away for the 74-62 victory.
 
North Dakota will look to close out the weekend with a winning record on Saturday against in-state rival North Dakota State at 5:30 p.m. from the Sanford Pentagon.
 
For more news on UND men's basketball, visit FightingHawks.com. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @UNDmbasketball.
 
NOTES: De'Sean Allen-Eikens missed his fourth straight game with an injury … Rebraca reached double figures for the 13th straight game and 42nd time of his career … UND falls to 106-88 all-time against South Dakota State … This marks the ninth straight loss to the Jacks … SDSU hit six threes in the second half, the most allowed by UND in a half this season … The Jacks won the rebounding battle, 40-32 … All nine Fighting Hawks scored.