(6) North Dakota vs. (3) South Dakota State || 3/7 (8:15 p.m.)
204th meeting, UND leads 106-97
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Denny Sanford PREMIER Center)

FULL GAME NOTES ARE HERE

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - March is here and the madness looms. (6) North Dakota men's basketball makes its sixth Summit League Tournament appearance on Friday night in Sioux Falls as the Fighting Hawks' postseason run begins against (3) South Dakota State. Tip-off from inside Denny Sanford PREMIER Center is set for 8:15 p.m. The winner advances to a Saturday night matchup with the (2) St. Thomas/(7) Dever winner.

TIPPING OFF
The Summit League's top two rebounding teams meet in the tournament quarterfinals. South Dakota State boast a league-best 40.10 rebounding average, while the Hawks trail with the second highest at 37.68.

SDSU holds the top defensive boards average at 28.55 which ranks sixth nationally, while UND's 13.45 offensive boards pace the league and rank inside the nation's top 20. 

SDSU operates with a league-best FG% defense of 42.4%. Oscar Cluff, an all-league first teamer, leads the league in blocks, double doubles, FG% and all four major rebounding categories. All four are top six marks nationally.

Treysen Eaglestaff paces the league in shot attempts (456) and rates second in 3PT attempts (214). He is six overall attempts from UND's single season SL record.

FOLLOW LIVE 
Fans can follow the action live with UND men's basketball radio play-by-play voice Paul Ralston on KSNR 100.3 FM The Cat or on the iHeart Radio app, while the action can be seen on Midco Sports and the Summit League Network. Live stats will be provided at www.FightingHawks.com.

FIGHTING HAWKS IN THE TOURNEY
Sixth Appearance; 3-5 overall
2024
vs. (6) Omaha; L, 72-73
2023
vs. (1) Oral Roberts; L, 80-96
vs. (8) Denver; W, 83-68
2021
vs. (4) Oral Roberts; L, 65-76
2020
vs. (1) North Dakota State; L, 53-89
vs. (7) Purdue Fort Wayne; W, 73-56
vs. (3) South Dakota; W, 74-71
2019
vs. (2) Omaha; L, 76-81

SERIES HISTORY
SDSU got the best of the Hawks in the first meeting of the season: a 109-73 Jackrabbit victory on January 16 in Brookings. That win moved SDSU's win streak against the Hawks to 18 games. Two weeks later on February 1, North Dakota held off the Jackrabbits late to snap the losing skid with an 80-75 victory inside the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Friday's matchup will be the 204th meeting all-time between the two teams in a series that began in 1917. UND leads the all-time series 106-97 and holds an 8-4 mark against the Jackrabbits on neutral floors. 

THE RUBBER MATCH
*Four Hawks averaged double figures in scoring in a pair of matchups against SDSU with Treysen Eaglestaff leading with 15.5 ppg on 41.7% shooting from three-point range. 
*Amar Kuljuhovic averaged 12.5 ppg and a team-leading 5.0 rpg as he averaged 21.5 minutes, while shooting 76.9% from the floor in two starts against the Jackrabbits.
*SDSU shot over 54% from the floor against the Hawks in the regular season and went +14.5 in rebounding.
*Hawks shot 80% from the line in 35 attempts over two games
*In the matchup in Brookings, the two sides played to five lead changes and five tied scores, while the Hawks led wire-to-wire in the win at home. 

A SCORING STORY
A native of Bismarck, Treysen Eaglestaff's third season as a Fighting Hawk has been highly impressive. He enters The Summit League Tournament with the fourth-highest scoring average (18.3) in the league and the ninth highest in league play (16.6 ppg). Eaglestaff is the league leader in field goal attempts (456), has scored the second-most points (566) and ranks fourth in field goals made (187).
 
He has scored in double figures in 29 of 31 games, has crossed over 20 points a dozen times and boast four games with 27 or more points, including a career-high and Betty Engelstad Sioux Center single-game record 40 points (career high 15 FGM, 8 3pt) against #6 Alabama. 
 
In 31 regular season games, Eaglestaff has been among the league's most active three-point shooters. Only one player has attempted more shots from range than Eaglestaff's 214 and he holds top five marks in The Summit League in three-pointers per game (2.45) and total three-point field goals (76). From the stripe, he has made the fifth most free throws (116), ranks sixth in attempts (146) and seventh in percentage (79.5%).
 
Eaglestaff leads the Hawks in minutes (31.5) and ranks second in assists (70) and steals (32), while having also grabbed 87 rebounds. 

PANOAM, YOU NOW KNOW HIM
Mier Panoam's impact on North Dakota's successes this season was immediate. The transfer guard from Tulane started every regular season contest for the Fighting Hawks. A consistent attacker on the offensive end, Panoam currently carries the 11th highest scoring average among Summit League players at 13.2 ppg, while his scoring average of 15.3 ppg in league play also ranked inside the top 12. He has recorded top 12 marks in field goal attempts (322) and field goals made (148). Additionally, Panoam is in the league's top ten in free throw attempts (142) and free throws made (102).
 
A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Panoam heavily aided UND's rebounding efforts that saw the Hawks rate as the second best rebounding team overall (37.68) and the best offensive rebounding team (13.45) in the Summit League. His 180 total rebounds are the second most by a Hawk this season and the fourth most in the league. On the offensive end, Panoam's 2.19 such rebounds are the fourth highest in the league.
 
Panoam paces North Dakota in assists with 77 (2.5 apg) and in blocks with 17 (0.5 bpg). He has scored in double figures 23 times with six 20-point performances including a career-high scoring effort of 28 points at Denver. Panoam started Summit League play with three-straight 20-point games including the performance against the Pioneers that also saw him register the first of a team-leading three double doubles, all of which occurred in Summit League play.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
For the second straight season, Eli King has been named among the best defenders in the league. His 40 steals are the third most in the league and his per game swipes average of 1.3 ranks fourth. The Caledonia, Minnesota native has recorded a steal in 24 of 31 games including eight multi-steal games with two four-steal efforts and five steals against Waldorf.
 
King ranks second on the team in blocked shots with 15 of which none were bigger than his stuffing of Jacari White's game-tying attempt as time expired to give the Hawks a home win over their bitter league rival.
 
King, who has played the second-most minutes (926, 29.9) for the Hawks this season, leads UND in offensive fouls drawn (16), in defensive rebounds (128) and is one of three Hawks with 165+ total rebounds. On January 25 at North Dakota State, King delivered a career-high 13 rebounds.
 
Additionally, King is always an offensive threat for the Hawks, scoring a career high 24 points twice this season with five other double figure scoring efforts. He made a single-game best 10 field goals against South Dakota State and made a career high four three-point shots in a game twice this season.
 
King has led UND at least once in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in a single game this season.

AANNNDDDDD ONNNNNNEEEEEEE
The Hawks have converted 38 and-one opportunities this season with arguably two of the season's biggest coming in its rivalry win over North Dakota State. Deng Mayar, in his final game inside the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, took over offensively for the Hawks. He cleaned up a close miss on a drive to the bucket by Panoam with two hands and on the next NDSU possession, the senior swiped the basketball from the Bison's Jacksen Moni, drove the distance and finished an and-one attempt with his back to the basket.

That sequence was a part of a needed close out to the first half for the Hawks, while Mier Panoam's team-leading eighth traditional three-point play of the season in the final seconds of the second half gave the Hawks the lead. Panoam made good on a second chance and-one effort which was the second of two offensive rebounds on the Hawks' final offensive possession.

BETTY BALL
UND closed out its home slate with the win over NDSU. It was the third Summit League victory of the month for the Hawks, all of which occurred in Grand Forks. Four of the Hawks' five league victories were earned inside the Betty, while eight of the squad's 11 wins were at home. In those eight victories, North Dakota averaged 82.1 ppg with a 13.1 scoring margin. The Hawks shot 5.5 percentage points better than their opposition in those contests and carried a 3.1 turnover margin. Overall at home, in 14 games, UND finished with a scoring margin of +4.1, a rebounding margin of +3.7 and a turnover margin of +2.1.

TAKE A (BETTY) BOW
Saturday was the final game inside the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center for three Fighting Hawks. Amar Kuljuhovic, Brian Mathews and Deng Mayar were honored prior to the 1 p.m. tip off with the Bison. Kuljuhovic, a native of Waterloo, Iowa, crossed over 1,000 career points behind two seasons at Lake Land College and two as a Fighting Hawk. He is currently 18 rebounds shy of a collective 1,000 in his collegiate career. Mathews has played in 93 games in his UND career and is a 49% shooter from the floor. The Chicago native has totaled 275 points, 294 rebounds, 46 assists, 18 blocks and 15 steals averaging over 11 minutes per game. Mayar has seen action in 39 games across two seasons in Grand Forks. He crossed over 200 points for his UND career with a 13-point performance against the Bison. Deng has recorded a pair of double doubles. The trio played key roles in UND earning a Summit League-era best 18 wins last season and the program's best SL regular season finish at tied for second. 

G LEAGUE DEBUT
Former North Dakota standout and 2022-23 Summit League Sixth Man of the Year Matt Norman continued his professional career in the Lone Star State as the Orem, Utah native signed with the Texas Legends, the NBA G League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks, on February 20. In his debut against the Rip City Remix, Norman logged three minutes and scored two points. The next night, he logged six minutes and grabbed three rebounds. He was waived on February 24.

Norman returned stateside after spending the 2023-24 season with BC Iverioni Gori of the Georgian Superleague. He averaged 13.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists, while shooting over 45% from the floor and 40% from range, while averaging 28 minutes per game. 

Norman played in 63 games for the Hawks over two seasons. He averaged over 10 ppg and shot 42.6% from the field. Norman grabbed 175 rebounds, dished out 100 assists and collected 21 steals as he helped the Hawks win 19 games. 

SHARP SHOOTERS
North Dakota's efforts against South Dakota State and Omaha resulted in the squad's top two shooting efforts this season. UND shot 55.2% in a home win against SDSU and fired a clip of 54.2% in a buzzer-beating loss on the road at Omaha. Additionally, the Hawks two best three-point percentage efforts came against the Mavericks and Jackrabbits. UND hit threes at a 56.3% clip against Omaha and drained 52.6% of their attempts against SDSU.

LONG TIME COMING
North Dakota's five-point win over the Jackrabbits snapped an 18-game losing streak to SDSU. It was the first win against South Dakota State since an 89-70 decision on December 15, 2011 in Grand Forks. It marked the first Summit League win for UND against the Jackrabbits and just the second in its Division I Era (2008-09).

SCORING NUGGETS
*Treysen Eaglestaff is one of just two SL players to score 40 points in a game this season with his career-high 40 coming against Alabama and he is one of just two players with multiple games of 30 or more points (NDSU's J. White).
*Four SL players have made 12 or more shots in a game this season. Two of them reside on UND's roster in Eaglestaff (league-best 15 vs. Alabama) and Mier Panoam (12 vs. Denver).
*Five different Hawks have recorded 20-point games this season (Eaglestaff, Panoam, Woodson, King, Kuljuhovic)
*Six different Hawks have led the team in scoring this season with Mambourou Mara becoming the sixth with a career high 18 points at UST.

HANDLE WITH CARE
The Hawks have committed nine or fewer turnovers in half of its 15 Summit League games and produced a 19-assists, 4-turnover effort at UST. North Dakota committed just six turnovers in the win against SDSU, none of which occurred in the first half. The Hawks finished at +1.13 in turnover margin in Summit League play which was the third-best such mark in the conference and only the fourth above even. UND's 1.33 assist-to-turnover ratio in SL play was the fourth-best clip in the league.

NOW BOARDING
The offensive glass has been controlled by UND in 23 of the squad's 31 games and the Hawks have been out-rebounded on the offensive glass five times. 

UND has grabbed 12+ offensive rebounds in 24 of 31 games. Ten Hawks have recorded 10+ offensive boards this season led by Amar Kuljuhovic's 88. Mier Panoam follows with 68 and Brian Mathews has added 42.

North Dakota ranks 18th nationally in offensive rebounds per game at 13.45; a mark that leads the Summit League. The squad's overall rebounding average of 37.68 ranks second in the league and is in the top 60 nationally. Overall, the Hawks have out-rebounded their opposition 18 times this season. 

THE BIG O
Following his historic effort against #6 Alabama and a home win over South Dakota Mines, junior guard Treysen Eaglestaff was recognized on the national stage as he was one of five players named an Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Dec. 22. Eaglestaff was joined by Donovan Dent (New Mexico), Caden Pierce (Princeton), Erik Reynolds (Saint Joseph's) and Bruce Thornton (Ohio State). He is the first Hawk to receive the honor since the award's inception in 2009-10.

PO1NTS, PO1NTS, PO1NTS
Eaglestaff's 40 points against Alabama, the 20th such game by a Fighting Hawk all-time, vaulted the junior guard into the 1,000-point club at UND. He became the 39th player in program history to reach the mark and the 12th to do it in UND's Division I era (2008-09). Currently, Eaglestaff is No. 18 on the scoring list with 1,303 points. He is the 18th player in program history to reach 1,300 and he is just 30 points shy of moving into the program's top 15.

TR3Y-POINT LAND
Eaglestaff eyes a move up the program record books as he is currently fourth in career three-pointers with 213 which makes him the program's leader in made three pointers among players that played their entire career in UND's D1 era. The Bismarck native is the fourth player in program history with 200 career made three-pointers. Additionally, Eaglestaff moved into third all-time on the Hawks' D1 three-point attempt list and he is currently fourth on the all-time list. 

This season, he ranks third in the Summit League in made three-pointers (76) and fourth in three-pointers per game (2.45). He is second in the league in attempts from range (214). 

KRAFTHREE
Redshirt freshman Zach Kraft has placed himself firmly in UND's rotation after totaling just 48 minutes with two three-point makes in six attempts through the season's first nine games. Since jumping onto the scene with a memorable performance against Alabama (9 pts), Kraft has seen action in each of UND's 19 games and during that time he is shooting 40.3% from deep (27-of-67) and 45.0% overall from the floor, while averaging 13.8 minutes per. 

Kraft has a three pointer in 17 games with 13 games with two or more makes and six games with three plus makes from range. Eight of Kraft's 17 assists this season have come in the past five games, including a career high four against UST. 

1KULJUHOVIC
Senior forward Amar Kuljuhovic reached a personal milestone at Utah Valley. The Waterloo, Iowa product crossed over 1,000 career points in his collegiate career with a 13-point night against the Wolverines. He recorded 624 points in two seasons at Lake Land College and currently has 603 points in 62 games as a Fighting Hawk. 

The scoring milestone isn't the only one in reach for Kuljuhovic as he is 13 rebounds shy of 1,000 for his career. He registered 511 at LLC and currently has 476 as a Fighting Hawk with 171 coming on the offensive end of the floor. 

3DARIYUS
First-year Fighting Hawk, Dariyus Woodson, a TJC transfer and Baytown, Texas native, rebounded in a big in the regular season finale. Woodson entered the road contest against South Dakota having missed his last 11 attempts from three-point range, but responded with five makes from three. He ranks 11th with 156 attempts from three-point range and 20th with 49 makes from three. Woodson has made a three pointer in 23 of UND's 31 games with 14 games of multiple makes from range, seven games with three or more, a single effort with four and two games with five made threes. He sank at least four in each of his 20-point performances against UTSA.

HELPING HANDS
Four Hawks have recorded 50+ assists this season and three are over 65 helpers. Mier Panoam leads UND with 77 assists, while Eli King (70) and Treysen Eaglestaff (68) crossed over 60 for the season in the win over NDSU. Amar Kuljuhovic follows with 54 assists. All four totals are season highs for the respective players. 

MORE MAYAR
Mayar posted his fourth double-figure scoring effort of the season with 13 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from the floor at Omaha. Since then, Mayar has registered four other double-figure scoring efforts with 11 at Kansas City, 13 each vs. North Dakota State and St. Thomas and a dozen at South Dakota to close out the regular season. He's been a valuable rotation piece for the Hawks having played 20 or minutes in 12 of 16 SL games.

He registered back-to-back double double efforts in a weekend home-and-home with UTSA. In two games against the Roadrunners, Mayar averaged 27.1 minutes and shot 53.3% (8-of-15) from the floor with a 50% (3-of-6) rate from three-point range. He went 5-of-7 from the line to average 12.0 points over the pair of contests. Mayar led UND in rebounding with 10.5 boards per game, including the second-most offensive rebounds at eight. 

UND BY THE NUMBERS
38- The number of Summit League wins for the Hawks under head coach Paul Sather. The Hawks won a program-best 10 Summit League games a season ago and have won seven or more league games in a season three times under Sather.
18.3- Junior guard Treysen Eaglestaff's scoring average in 31 games. It ranks as the fourth highest in the SL and is a top 65 mark nationally. His 566 total points this season rank in the top 25 nationally and are the second most in a single season in UND's SL history.
18- UND's national rank in offensive rebounds/game. The squad's mark of 13.45 leads the Summit League. UND has grabbed a dozen or more offensive rebounds in 24 of 31 games this season which is the most by a Sather-led UND team.
6- The number of Hawks that have led the team in scoring this season after Mambourou Mara became the sixth on Thursday night in St. Paul. Five of the six led the Hawks with career high scoring efforts. 
4- The number of Hawks that have recorded 200 made three-point shots in a single career after junior guard Treysen Eaglestaff surpassed the mark at Kansas City. He is UND's first exclusively Division I player in program history to do so.

A UND WIN WOULD
» Be the program's fourth in the Summit League Tourney
» Be the 107th all-time against the Jackrabbits
» Advance the Hawks to the tournament semifinals for the third time overall
» Give UND its 13th DI season with no fewer than 12 wins
» Be better than a loss