GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The North Dakota men's basketball team picked up its second straight win Thursday night, defeating the Valley City State Vikings 93-63.

Treysen Eaglestaff and B.J. Omot led the Fighting Hawks with 17 points, and were joined in double figures by Eli King (14), Mambourou Mara (12) and Tsotne Tsartsidze (11). King tied with Deng Mayar for the team lead with eight rebounds, while Eaglestaff led with four assists.

With 16:27 left in the first half, Omot hit a corner three with the game tied at five to put NoDak ahead, and from there the Fighting Hawks would not trail again. VCSU got within one point at 11-10 later in the first half, but from there UND went on a 12-4 run to expand their lead to 23-14; with six different players scoring a basket in the stretch. Over the final 7:15 of the first half, the green and white went on a 19-4 run, with Mara with scoring seven points, to go to halftime with a 44-23 advantage.

Hot shooting from the first half carried over into the second half, with the hosts hitting nine three pointers in the half and expanding their lead to as many as 36 points. The Fighting Hawks led by no less than 18 points at any point in the second half as they closed out a convincing win at home.

The Fighting Hawks will head on the road for the next three games as they head to Stockton, Calif. to take on Pacific University next Monday and then go to the Central Arkansas Classic on Saturday, Nov. 25 and 26 to take on New Orleans University and Eastern Michigan.

Postgame Notes 

·         Mara scored in double figures for the first time as a Fighting Hawk.

·         Five players scored in double figures for UND for the first time since Dec. 12 of last season against North Central.

·         Eaglestaff hit five three pointers for the second straight game.

·         King, Mayar, Mara and Brian Mathews each blocked a shot.

·         UND dominated on the glass with 46 rebounds to 22 for VCSU.

  
How It Happened 

First Half

14:49 – UND 11, VCSU 7

11:20 – UND 19, VCSU 12

7:58 – UND 25, VCSU 19

2:29 – UND 40, VCSU 21

Half – UND 44, VCSU 23

Second Half

15:55 – UND 55, VCSU 35

11:57 – UND 64, VCSU 39

6:39 – UND 78, VCSU 52

3:58 – UND 86, VCSU 54

Final – UND 93, VCSU 63

For more information on North Dakota men's basketball, follow on social media @UNDmbasketball or visit FightingHawks.com.