GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota men's basketball team suffered an 80-71 loss to Montana in its home opener at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Originally scheduled for noon, the game was moved to 8 p.m. to allow the Grizzlies additional time to travel to Grand Forks following Friday's nationwide air traffic stoppage. The Fighting Hawks fall to 1-3 on the season.
Luke Winkel paced the UND offense with a season-high 21 points. He shot 6-of-13 from the field, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, to lead the Fighting Hawks from three-point range. As a team, North Dakota shot 40.0 percent from three-point range compared to Montana's 27.6 percent.
Montana gained momentum early, building a 14-8 lead with 13:15 remaining in the first half and forcing UND to call a timeout. The Hawks responded with a 13-2 run to take a 21-18 lead with 10:38 left before the break.
Zack Parks sparked the run by stealing the ball from the Grizzlies and converting a fast-break layup. North Dakota also connected on three triples during the stretch, with
Samuel Hincapie,
Zach Kraft and Parks each knocking down a three-pointer to give the Hawks the lead.
Montana evened the score at 21 with 8:51 remaining, but North Dakota maintained its advantage for the rest of the half. The Hawks carried a 38-33 lead into the locker room after connecting on eight three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes. Winkel led the way, shooting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, while Hincapie knocked down two triples.
The teams traded baskets early in the second half before North Dakota put together a 13-4 run beginning at the 15:19 mark.
Andrija Radojevic connected on back-to-back three-pointers, marking the first two triples of his collegiate career.
With 9:31 remaining,
Karson Ouse converted a jumper in the paint to give UND its largest lead of the night at 58-47. The basket energized the Fighting Hawks faithful, who made their presence felt as they tried to disrupt Montana's possession. However, the Grizzlies responded with a run of their own, erasing the 11-point deficit and tying the game at 60 with five minutes remaining.
Foul trouble in the second half began to catch up with the Hawks as Montana capitalized on trips to the free-throw line to take control down the stretch. Despite two late layups by North Dakota in the final 15 seconds, the Grizzlies secured an 80-71 victory.
North Dakota will return to the Betty on Tuesday when it hosts SIU Edwardsville. Originally scheduled for Monday, the game was moved back a day to allow the Cougars additional time to travel to Grand Forks following Friday's air traffic stoppage. Tipoff remains set for 7 p.m.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Montana continues to lead the all-time series 21-7 and now holds a 7-6 advantage in games played in Grand Forks.
- Zack Parks recorded a season-high 12 points in 23 minutes of action. He shot 5-of-8 from the field and added a team-high two steals.
- North Dakota struggled on the glass, collecting 25 rebounds compared to Montana's 43. The Grizzlies turned that advantage into 13 second-chance points, while the Hawks recorded five.
- Zach Kraft led the Hawks on the boards with a season-high six rebounds. Samuel Hincapie followed with five.
- Montana used its transition game to record 10 fast-break points compared to North Dakota's seven.
- The Grizzlies also received more production from their bench, outscoring the Hawks 26-20 in bench points.
- Fouls proved costly for North Dakota, as Montana attempted 28 free throws compared to UND's 13. The Hawks made nine of their attempts, shooting a season-low 69.2 percent from the charity stripe.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
15:15 – North Dakota 8, Montana 8
11:53 – Montana 14, North Dakota 13
7:46 – North Dakota 21, Montana 21
3:23 – North Dakota 32, Montana 25
Halftime – North Dakota 28, Montana 33
Second Half
15:54 – North Dakota 40, Montana 38
11:11 – North Dakota 53, Montana 45
8:44 – North Dakota 58, Montana 47
7:30 – North Dakota 58, Montana 51
4:19 – Montana 62, North Dakota 60
Final – Montana 80, North Dakota 71
For more information on North Dakota men's basketball, visit FightingHawks.com or follow the team on social media @UNDmbasketball.
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