NOTES: Three-Seeded Hawks Set to Take on Six-Seeded Denver in Quarterfinals of Summit League Tournament

3/5/2026 11:06:00 AM | By: Corey Lichtman, FightingHawks.com

Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. on Friday at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

#3 North Dakota (16-16, 10-6 Summit League) vs. #6 Denver (15-16, 8-8 Summit League)
20th meeting all-time | UND leads series 11-8 | Last meeting, Feb. 7, 2026 | DU 98, UND 79

Sioux Falls, S.D. (Denny Sanford Premier Center)
Watch: Summit League Network (Jay Elsen (PxP), Shon Morris (Color), Missy Heidrick (sideline))
Listen: 100.3 The Cat (PxP: Paul Ralston)
Full Game Notes are here

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – For the third time this season, the No. 3 North Dakota men's basketball team will take on the No. 6 Denver Pioneers, this time in the quarterfinals of the Summit League Tournament on Friday night from the Denny Sanford Premier Center. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m., with coverage on the Summit League Network and 100.3 The Cat.

It is the 20th meeting all-time between the Hawks and the Pioneers, with it being the second matchup between the squads in a Summit League Tournament. UND owns an 11-8 record all-time against Denver and is 1-0 all-time against DU in postseason play. The most recent matchup came this season on Feb. 7 in Grand Forks, when NoDak fell, 98-79. Denver outrebounded North Dakota, 40-25 in that contest.

North Dakota's three-seed is tied for its highest ranking since joining the Summit League in 2018-19 and its five-win turnaround from last season is the largest increase in wins in the conference. UND is coming off a 96-63 loss to North Dakota State on Saturday in Fargo. The Bison shot 16-of-29 from deep, to erase a nine-point North Dakota first half lead.

Scouting the Opposition
Denver sits at 15-16 on the season, losing its last contest last Thursday at Oral Roberts, 102-80. ORU's Ty Harper logged 47 points in that game.

The Pioneers are led by Summit League Player of the Year, Carson Johnson. Johnson has averaged 22.5 points per game in conference play on 46.8%/40.0%/90.7% splits (FG/3P/FT). Zane Nelson (14.6 ppg), Jeremiah Burke (13.8 ppg) and Logan Kinsey (10.7 ppg) join Johnson as Pioneers averaging double digits in conference play. These four players combined for 79 of Denver's 98 points in the last meeting between the two teams.

Pregame Notes

UND is 4-6 all-time in the Summit League Tournament
It is the third straight season NoDak is in the 3v6 matchup in the quarterfinals
The Hawks are seeking their second-straight semifinals appearance and third overall
Greyson Uelmen is averaging 27.0 points per game in two games against the Pioneers this season
Eli King (DPOY) will square off against Carson Johnson (POTY)
No. 9 North Dakota knocked off No. 8 Denver in the first round of the 2023 Summit League Tournament, 83-68
King is eight rebounds away from 500 in his career
In five of the last six matchups between these teams, one side has scored at least 92 points