GRAND FORKS, N.D. – For the first time since the 1994-95 season, the North Dakota men's basketball team has won seven straight games in conference play. Not only did tonight's win over Omaha give the green and white its first seven game conference winning streak of the Division I era, but its first seven game winning streak as a DI team overall as the last seven game winning streak came in the 2007-08 season—the final season playing in Division II.
For the first time since 2020, three Fighting Hawks scored 20+ points. Treysen Eaglestaff led the team with 28, followed by B.J. Omot with 26 and Tyree Ihenacho with 22. Amar Kuljuhovic grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the way on the glass, the fourth time in the last five games that he has posted 10+ rebounds. Ihenacho led with four assists while Eaglestaff led with three steals.
Early in the first half the score was tied at 4-4, but Ihenacho made the next basket that started a 9-0 run for NoDak and the Fighting Hawks never looked back. Ihenacho scored ten of the first 16 points for UND and ten of the first 22 overall, and from there the hosts never let Omaha get back into the game and took a 20-point lead into intermission at 51-31.
In the second half the lead for UND went up to as many as 30 as the game never reached single digits. Eaglestaff got a fitting curtain call as he hit a three pointer to close out his night before making way for the substitutes, who saw out the 21 point win.
The Fighting Hawks will close out a three game homestand on Saturday afternoon, hosting Kansas City at 1 p.m.
Postgame Notes
· Eaglestaff tied his career high with 28 points, making four threes to run his streak to 21 games with at least one made shot from beyond the arc.
· The 51 points scored in the first half is the third half in which the Fighting Hawks scored at least 50 this season and the most of any first half this season.
· Eli King made two three pointers—his fourth game of the season with multiple hits from downtown.
· Eaglestaff tied his career high with three steals.
· Brady Danielson scored five points and Tstone Tsartsidze scored three. Tsartsidze grabbed seven boards.
· Elijah Brooks got on the scoresheet with two points, his first points since Kansas City on January 13, Mambourou Mara also saw the floor for the first time since January 11 at Omaha and scored two points.
· Brian Mathews picked up a rebound, assist and blocked shot in seven minutes of action.
How It Happened
First Half
14:42 – UND 13, Omaha 4
11:29 – UND 21, Omaha 9
7:35 – UND 29, Omaha 15
3:34 – UND 40, Omaha 26
Half – UND 51, Omaha 31
Second Half
14:11 – UND 58, Omaha 37
11:28 – UND 64, Omaha 48
6:54 – UND 77, Omaha 58
3:57 – UND 90, Omaha 65
Final – UND 99, Omaha 78
For more information on North Dakota men's basketball, follow on social media @UNDmbasketball or visit FightingHawks.com.
