GRAND FORKS, N.D. – In its first overtime game since Nov. 25, 2023, The North Dakota men's basketball team fell to Western Illinois by a score of 69-66 on Saturday afternoon from Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. North Dakota falls to 4-9, while the Leathernecks improve to 4-7.

The Hawks trailed 68-66 with 11 seconds left in overtime, when Lucas Lorenzen went 1-for-2 from the free-throw line, giving UND a chance to tie it. Eli King had a look from three from the left wing, where his shot bounced off the rim as time expired.

The game featured seven ties and eight lead changes, with the largest lead of the game being just seven points, held by the Leathernecks in the second half. Western Illinois had 51 rebounds compared to the Hawks 39, with 25 of them coming on the offensive end, opposed to 11 from the Hawks. Kariyek Dixon totaled 17 points and 18 rebounds, 11 via the offensive rebound.

NoDak shot 21-of-55 (38.1%) from the field, while the Leathernecks shot 23-of-70 (32.9%). The Hawks had three players in double figures, led by Greyson Uelmen (13), Eli King (11) and Garrett Anderson (11), who combined for 35 of the teams 66 points.

King (4) and Josh Jones (3) each set career highs in blocks, as the Hawks had a season-high with 10 on the afternoon.

North Dakota held a lead for 16:02 of game time in the first half, holding a 26-20 lead, following back-to-back dunks from Anderson and Jones. UND slumped into the second half, allowing the Leathernecks to go on a 12-2 run in the final 7:55, concluded by a Francis Okwuosah layup as time expired, to give WIU a 32-28 halftime lead. North Dakota accumulated just one field goal over the last 7:55 of the first half.

UND trailed for the whole second half, down 57-50 with 3:36 remaining, but used a 7-0 run in the next 2:11, wrapped up by an Uelmen steal and layup to tie the game at 57-57 with 1:25 remaining. Before this point, UND was down by as many as six and as little as two.

The next possession, Isaiah Griffin from WIU connected on a left-wing triple as the shot clock was winding down with 54 seconds to play, which was followed by two free-throws from Anderson to make it 60-59 with 41 seconds to play.

The Hawks generated a stop on the next WIU possession, which was rebounded by King. King raced up the court and drove to the basket, where he was fouled with 5.1 seconds remaining. He connected on the first free-throw and following a Leathernecks timeout, King missed the second attempt to send the game to overtime.

UND struck first in overtime, when Zach Kraft got a steal, which led to a fast break layup for Uelmen to go up 62-60. WIU answered to make it 62-62, which was matched by a Jones layup, to make it 64-62. Western Illinois had a chance at a three-point play following a made layup from Isaiah Griffin, but Griffin couldn't covert, keeping the score even at 64-64. Both teams then exchanged free throws, making it 66-66 with 1:30 to play. Following two more free-throws from Griffin to make it 68-66 with 23 seconds left, UND turned it over, when Jones couldn't secure a pass from King in the paint forcing the Hawks to foul.

The Hawks did not score a field goal in the final 3:44 of overtime, with neither team connected on a field goal over the final 3:08. UND fell by a score of 69-66.

Postgame Notes

• North Dakota falls to 8-9 all-time against Western Illinois
• It was UND's first overtime game since Nov. 25, 2023 against New Orleans
• The Hawks have now lost four home games this season by a total of 19 points
• UND's 17 turnovers tied a season-high
• It was just the fourth time this season UND has taken less field goal attempts than its opponent
• King earned his 12th game this season with two or more steals
• UND had a season-high 10 blocks, led by career highs from King (4) and Jones (3)
• North Dakota shot 6-of-29 from deep, while WIU went 3-for-19
• Western Illinois had 25 offensive rebounds, the most the Hawks have given up this season
• The Hawks held WIU to 32.9% shooting, the lowest any team has shot against UND this season

How It Happened
First Half
15:55 WIU 7, UND 5
11:56 UND 16, WIU 11
7:38 UND 26, WIU 20
3:45 UND 26, WIU 24
Halftime: WIU 32, UND 28
 
Second Half
16:45 WIU 36, UND 34
11:40 WIU 46, UND 40
7:39 WIU 49, UND 45
3:49 WIU 55, UND 50
End of Regulation: UND 60, WIU 60
Overtime: WIU 69, UND 66

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