University of North Dakota Athletics

Grand Forks, N.D.

Sophomore Evan Lindahl led the pace for North Dakota (5-4), as he scored a career-high 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting, with three of those field goals coming from behind the arc. He also had eight rebounds and three assists. Junior Todd Rypkema posted his first double-double of the season, the fifth of his career, as he scored 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting, pulled down 10 rebounds and had two blocks. Senior Jade Jahner and junior Mike Johnson each posted 13 points and eight assists.

For the Bulldogs (5-3), they responded with the one-two punch of Sean Seaman and Dusty Decker. Seaman finished with a team-high 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting, with two of those being three pointers and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. He also posted eight assists and five rebounds. Decker chipped in with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting, with four of those coming from the three point line. Nate Perry nearly had a double-double, as he posted 10 points and seven rebounds. John Emerson was also in double-figures, adding 11 points.

North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth traded three-pointers to open the overtime, and then Jahner hit his third three-pointer of the game to put the Sioux up 87-84. The Bulldogs tied the game after a Perry jumper and a Seaman free throw.

After the fourth tie of the overtime, Decker came around a pick, got the ball on top of the three-point line and drained his fourth three-pointer of the game, putting his team up 92-89 with 25 seconds left. The teams would exchange free throws, and the Sioux had a chance to win in the final seconds, but Lindahl’s three-point attempted just missed.

North Dakota had the game in hand in the second half, as they led by as many as 15 points, 68-53, with 10:54 left. But Minnesota-Duluth kept battling its way back, as they got the lead under double-figures at the 5:35 mark and then finally got to a one point deficit, 79-78, after a Ryan Breidenbach layup with 11 second left.

Bradley was fouled with just nine seconds left, went to the line and hit both of his free throws to give North Dakota an 81-78 advantage. But just like in overtime, Decker was the thorn in the side of the Sioux, as he would drain a three-point with two seconds left to send the game into overtime.

North Dakota will play again tomorrow when they host Bemidji State at 3 p.m. at the Hyslop Sports Center.