Feb. 26, 2002
Grand Forks, ND – The University of North Dakota men's basketball team shot 50.0 percent from the field and had five players reach double figures as the Sioux advanced to the semifinals of the North Central Conference Wells Fargo Finals with a 96-74 victory over Northern Colorado. North Dakota improved to 18-9 on the season and won for the sixth time in seven games. Northern Colorado's season ended at 14-13.
UND will now play Nebraska-Omaha, an 85-72 winner over Augustana, on Friday night at 6 p.m. in Brookings, S.D. The other semifinal game will match league champion and host South Dakota State against St. Cloud State, a 95-90 double overtime winner over South Dakota. Those two winners will meet on Saturday night in the championship game.
On Tuesday night the Sioux shot just 37.5 percent in the opening half compared to Northern Colorado's 43.5 percent, but the Sioux went to the locker room up 35-23. Though UND shot a low percentage, it hit 6 of 13 from 3-point range and got nine more shot attempts for the half than the Bears, grabbing nine offensive rebounds and forcing 8 UNC turnovers.
Northern Colorado got on the scoreboard first with a 3-point basket by Hallock, Minn., native Aaron Austin, 37 second into the game, but the Sioux scored 16 of the next 18 points to take a 16-5 lead with 15:39 to play. The run was highlighted by junior Jerome Beasley hitting back-to-back 3-point shots and a jumper on three consecutive possessions.
The Bears battled back to cut the lead to four, 21-17, with 10:19 to play, but North Dakota closed the half on a 14-6 run to go up 35-23 at the half.
Beasley scored 11 to lead the Sioux, while junior Mario Porter added eight.
North Dakota hit seven of its first eight shots to open the second half, going on a 15-4 run, to open a 50-27 lead with 15:38 to play. Northern Colorado wouldn't get closer than 18 points the rest of the way.
UND had five players reach double figures, led by Beasley's 19 and Porter's career-high 19. Freshman Mike Johnson came off the bench to hit 5 of 6 shots, 3 of 3 from 3-point range, to add a career-high 17 points. Junior Ryan Walker had 11 points and six rebounds, while senior Jerrid Sebesta hit 5 of 7 shots to finish with 11 points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.
NCC Player of the Week, junior Robert Lolar had four points, four rebounds and a season-high six assists.
North Dakota hit 34 of 68 shots for the game, 50.0 percent, while Northern Colorado shot 48.2 percent, hitting 27 of 56. The Sioux held a 35-32 advantage on the boards and had just seven turnovers, matching a season low.
Northern Colorado was led by Austin's 20 points. The Bears' Howard Jackson added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Official Basketball Box Score
Northern Colorado vs North Dakota
2/26/02 7 p.m. at Grand Forks, N.D. - Hyslop Sports Center
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VISITORS: Northern Colorado 14-13
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
24 Sean Nolen.......... * 3-9 0-3 4-4 5 3 8 3 10 4 3 0 0 34
25 Jared Ramirez....... * 6-10 3-6 0-0 1 1 2 3 15 1 3 0 0 28
34 Aaron Austin........ * 6-10 4-5 4-6 1 2 3 4 20 0 5 0 1 34
41 Howard Jackson...... * 5-9 0-0 4-4 2 8 10 2 14 1 2 1 0 32
43 Michael Morse....... * 5-12 1-2 0-1 3 3 6 4 11 1 1 2 1 35
20 Kevin Knudson....... 2-6 0-3 0-0 0 2 2 0 4 1 1 0 1 28
31 Tim Graham.......... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 6
55 Josh Nigut.......... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3
Totals.............. 27-56 8-19 12-15 12 20 32 18 74 8 16 3 3 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 10-23 43.5% 2nd Half: 17-33 51.5% Game: 48.2% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 1-4 25.0% 2nd Half: 7-15 46.7% Game: 42.1% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 2-3 66.7% 2nd Half: 10-12 83.3% Game: 80.0% 0
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HOME TEAM: North Dakota 18-9
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
05 Mario Porter........ * 5-8 3-3 6-6 0 2 2 1 19 5 2 1 2 33
30 Jeff Brandt......... * 2-8 2-7 0-0 0 0 0 1 6 2 0 0 0 19
32 Ryan Walker......... * 4-7 3-4 0-1 3 3 6 2 11 2 0 0 1 24
42 Josh Johnson........ * 1-2 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 1 2 4 0 0 0 17
54 Jerome Beasley...... * 8-14 2-3 1-2 1 5 6 0 19 1 1 0 1 22
14 Mike Johnson........ 5-6 3-3 4-4 1 1 2 1 17 1 2 0 2 21
20 Jade Jahner......... 0-0 0-0 2-2 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 7
22 Corey Sheplee....... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
24 Robert Lolar........ 2-9 0-2 0-0 2 2 4 2 4 6 1 1 1 20
34 Nigel Jenkins....... 2-7 0-1 1-1 0 2 2 2 5 1 1 0 0 17
40 Jerrid Sebesta...... 5-7 0-0 1-2 6 1 7 3 11 2 0 0 0 19
Team................ 1 2 3
Totals.............. 34-68 13-23 15-18 15 20 35 13 96 24 7 2 7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 12-32 37.5% 2nd Half: 22-36 61.1% Game: 50.0% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 6-13 46.2% 2nd Half: 7-10 70.0% Game: 56.5% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 5-6 83.3% 2nd Half: 10-12 83.3% Game: 83.3% 2
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Officials: Mike Spanier, John Lieser, Tim Garrett
Technical fouls: Northern Colorado-None. North Dakota-None.
Attendance: 1310
Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total
Northern Colorado............. 23 51 - 74
North Dakota.................. 35 61 - 96
North Central Conference Wells Fargo Finals first-round game