Treysen Eaglestaff shoots at Nebraska, Dec. 20. 2023
Scott Bruhn

NOTES: Men's Basketball Opens Summit League Play Friday vs. St. Thomas

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GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The North Dakota men's basketball team opens its Summit League schedule Friday, hosting St. Thomas at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Both teams come into the game with records of 8-5, tied with Denver for the best record coming into conference play.

Next Game: vs. St. Thomas

North Dakota returns after a holiday break to play their first Summit League game of the season against St. Thomas at 7 p.m. at the Betty.

 

Series History vs. the Tommies

This will be the 17th meeting between the two teams, and the fifth as Summit League opponents. UND leads the series 9-7, and the two teams have split four meetings over the past two seasons. The first Summit League meeting was on Feb. 10, 2022 and was the first time the teams had met since December of 1962.

 

Scouting the Opponent

The Tommies are led by Coach Johnny Tauer, who is in his 12th season leading the team. He led the Tommies to the 2016 Division III National Championship and led UST to a winning record last season in the program's second year at the DI level.

The team is averaging 72.5 points per game, and allowing 62.5. From the floor the Tommies are shooting .465 and .364 from three point range. Parker Bjorklund leads the team with 14.2 points per game, and with 4.8 rebounds per game. Raheem Anthony leads the team with 36 assists and 12 steals, while Ahjany Lee leads with 11 blocks.

 

Living Downtown

Last season the team broke the program record for three pointers made in a single game with 18 against Kansas City, breaking the record set on December 14, 2021 against North Central University.

North Dakota has hit at least one triple in every game dating back to Mar. 1, 2018. The last time the Hawks did not make a three came on Feb. 24, 2018, when UND went 0-for-8 from downtown at Northern Colorado in a 79-66 loss. North Dakota has hit at least one three in each of the last 170 games played.

 

Watch and Listen

All North Dakota men's basketball games, home and away, can be heard on stations across the Home of Economy Radio Network, as well as through the iHeart Radio app; with Paul Ralston calling the action. The game will be on CBS Sports Network.

 

Follow Us

Receive live updates during all UND men's basketball games by following @UNDmbasketball on X. Fans can also follow the Fighting Hawks on Facebook and Instagram @UNDmbasketball. FightingHawks.com will have up-to-the-minute stories, stats and more.

 

Hot Start

The Fighting Hawks are off to an 8-5 start to the season, which is the best start through 13 games since 2008-09; the first year of the Division I era.

 

Last Season

North Dakota finished the 2022-23 campaign with a 13-20 record, a seven win improvement over 2021-22. The Fighting Hawks won their first Summit League Tournament game in three years with an 83-68 win over Denver in the first game of the tournament. The team won six of their last nine games, regular and postseason, last year.

 

Current Streaks With:

10+ points:

B.J. Omot- 5

Treysen Eaglestaff- 4

Tyree Ihenacho - 1

 

At least one three pointer:

Treysen Eaglestaff- 9

B.J. Omot- 8

Tyree Ihenacho- 1

Tsotne Tsartsidze- 1

For more information on North Dakota men's basketball, follow us on social media @UNDmbasketball and visit fightinghawks.com.

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