K-Heart Sports – 12/04/23

K-HEART SPORTS – MONDAY – 12/04/23
 

BOTTINEAU, N.D. (MSU) – Minot State women’s hockey got it done in the Lumberdome, completing the weekend sweep of Dakota College at Bottineau. Furthermore, the 4-1 win on Sunday put the Beavers’ record back to even at .500. After grabbing the opening goal, a strong second period propelled Minot State to the top, as the No. 8 Beavers (9-9-0) scored three goals in the middle frame. The Lumberjacks (4-6-0) would get one late to break the shutout. Special teams continued to make an impact on the weekend. The power play struck pay dirt once again, and the Beaver penalty killers were perfect by fending off seven Lumberjack power-play opportunities. Minot State collects their second straight weekend sweep after defeating Dakota College at Bottineau 4-1 in the Lumberdome. This was the last time both teams would meet during the regular season. Kicking off scoring for the afternoon was Krissy Rink. It was her fourth of the year with Makenna Beard getting the helper. Moving towards the second period, Paige Ackerman capitalized on the power play with another assist from Beard. Paige Kozak made it 3-0 from Mia Mckee. Kozak returned the favor as she set up Mia Mckee for her fourth tally to wrap up the scoring from Minot State. DCB would go on to score late in the third to avoid being shut out. Chloe Sorenson was given a shot to backstop the Beavers and was excellent, making 28 saves on 29 Bottineau shots. The Beavers have once again extended their winning streak, this time to four games. They pull themselves up to .500 before heading back on the road to Jamestown next weekend for another two-game sequence. Minot State is perfect on the regular season versus Dakota College at Bottineau, finishing with a 2-0-0 record.
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MSU MENS WRESTLING
 
MOORHEAD, Minn. (MSU) – Minot State’s Ryan Hrcka led the way for Minot State as he claimed the title at 157 pounds at the Dragon Open hosted by Minnesota State Moorhead on Sunday. Hrcka won three straight matches in the white division for the title, earning an 11-4 decision over MSU Moorhead’s Cody Wienen, an 11-1 major decision Kristian Orloff from Minnesota North-Itasca, then a 2-0 decision over Augustana’s Logan Butzon in the title match. While Hrcka led the way, Marcus Allen was third at 184 pounds in the white division going 2-1 with a pin, Mario Esposito was fifth at 184 pounds in the white division, Dylan McDonald was fifth at 125 pounds in the red division going 4-2 with three wins by pin, and Isaac Ortega and Shane Hansen each were sixth in the red division at 149 and 197, respectively, with Hansen picking up a win by pin in his bracket. The tournament wrapped up a busy weekend for the Beavers who wrap up the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule on Saturday hosting in-state rival the University of Mary at 6:30 p.m. at the MSU Dome, the conclusion of a Beaver-Marauder tripleheader that starts with the Minot State men’s and women’s basketball teams hosting Mary at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.
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UND MENS BASKETBALL
 
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (UND) – The North Dakota men’s basketball team finished its two-game road swing in the Los Angeles area on Sunday evening, falling 68-62 to UC Riverside. B.J. Omot paced the Fighting Hawks with 19 points, with Eli King reaching double figures for the second consecutive game with 13. Amar Kuljuhovic also reached double figures with 12 and led the team with six rebounds. Deng Mayar led with two blocks, while Omot and Treysen Eaglestaff tied with three assists. Tsotne Tsartsidze got both of the team’s two steals. Jumpers from Omot and Kuljuhovic gave the green and white an early 4-2 lead, and the first half was tightly contested throughout. Down 15-9 later in the half, Kuljuhovic made threes on back-to-back possessions to knot it up and then Omot hit a foul shot to go back up at 16-15. In the final minutes of the half, Omot hit a layup to put UND up 24-23, which was the last lead UND would hold in the game. UCR took a 31-26 lead into intermission. Omot made it a four point game after a three-point play on a dunk, but momentum swung back to UCR—who went up double digits. NoDak chipped away as the half went on, climbing back within single digits at 50-41 with a three from Eaglestaff. King followed with a three, and then Eaglestaff made a layup to make it a four point game at 50-46. But UND could not take back the lead at any point in the half—the closest they came was three points at 65-62 with 12 seconds to go, but UCR scored the final three points to finish the game. North Dakota will return home for two games—this Saturday against Portland University and then Waldorf (Iowa) the following Tuesday.
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UND WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND) – The North Dakota women’s basketball team dominated the glass in Sunday’s 64-56 win over Eastern Michigan, outrebounding the Eagles 52-31. The Fighting Hawks 34 defensive rebounds and 52 total boards were both season highs. After posting a career high 26 points Tuesday night, Kiyah Hurst followed that performance up with a double-double against the Eagles. Hurst led the Hawks with 20 points and hauled in 10 boards, including three offensive rebounds. Holding a 32-22 lead at halftime, North Dakota soared in the opening minutes of the third quarter knocking down four straight three-pointers to grab its largest lead of the night, 44-24. Hurst connected on the first and third triple of the run, while Owen knocked down the other two threes. A bucket from Hurst, assisted by Sammiyah Hoskin, was answered by an Eagle layup at the end of the quarter with the Hawks taking a 56-40 lead into the final 10 minutes. EMU began to chip away at the Hawks lead in the fourth quarter, pulling within single-digits 58-51 with 5:42 remaining. A layup from Kiera Pemberton ended a 11-2 EMU run and gave the Hawks a 60-51 lead with 4:12 on the clock. Following a Pemberton basket with just over three minutes left in the game, both offenses would go cold, as neither team recorded a point to close out the 64-56 UND win. The Fighting Hawks crashed the offensive boards in the opening period with 10 offensive rebounds to EMU’s five defensive boards as they built up a 19-12 advantage. The Hawks cashed in on the extra possessions, scoring 12 second chance points with eight points in the paint. Miranda VanderWal secured four offensive boards and scored six points, while Sammiyah Hoskin had three offensive boards. Eastern Michigan kept the Hawks off the glass in the second period, limiting UND to just one offensive rebound. A 10-2 run late in the second quarter gave the Hawks their largest lead of the first half, 32-20. The Hawks rebounded by committee in the first half with five players securing three or more rebounds. Hurst paced NoDak in the opening 20 minutes with 10 points. The Fighting Hawks will travel to Charleston, Ill. Thursday for their next game against Eastern Illinois.
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NDSU WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – The North Dakota State women’s basketball team grinded out a 91-68 win over Mayville State on Sunday afternoon at Scheels Center. Taryn Hamling led the way for the Bison (4-4) with a team-high 18 points after knocking down a game-high six triples on 11 attempts. Avery Koenen registered her first career double-double with a game-best 15 rebounds and season-high 13 points. Elle Evans also handed out a game-high six assists and reached double digits for the fourth straight game in scoring with 15 points. As team, NDSU shot 45.9 percent (34-74) from the field and 38.2 percent (13-34) from three with five players posting double figures in scoring. Taryn Hamling (18), Evans (15), Koenen (13), Miriley Simon (13) and Heaven Hamling (12) all reached double digits. The Bison also hauled in a season-best 55 rebounds with nine different players collecting at least one. It marked the most rebounds in a single-game since NDSU posted 63 at Western Illinois on Jan. 2, 2020. After both teams worked through the first half that saw 11 tie scores, NDSU erupted in the fourth quarter outscoring Mayville State, 30-18, and shot 52.9 percent from the field. The Bison put together a key 8-0 run at the midway point of the fourth quarter capped off a by a layup from Abby Krzewinski to make the score 79-62 with 4:07 to play. Mayville State wasn’t able to cut the deficit down any further as NDSU picked up the 91-68 victory. NDSU will be back in action at Drake on Friday. Tip-off is set for 11:00 a.m.
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WILD-BLACKHAWKS
 
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Marco Rossi scored twice and Mats Zuccarello had a goal and two assists for the Minnesota Wild in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. Matt Boldy also scored for Minnesota, which has won three in a row after firing coach Dean Evason and replacing him with John Hynes. The Wild had scored 13 goals and lost seven straight games, leading to Evason’s dismissal. In the three games since, Minnesota has outscored opponents 13-3. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 27 shots for the Wild, who have won 10 in a row against Chicago. The Blackhawks lost their third game in a row overall, with Petr Mrazek making 30 saves. Taylor Raddysh scored in the third period for Chicago, which has been outscored 13-2 during its losing streak. The Wild start a four-game road trip on Tuesday at Calgary.
 
 

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K-Heart Sports – 12/03/23

K-HEART SPORTS – SUNDAY – 12/03/23
 

MINOT, ND – Saturday scores:
 
High School Girls Basketball
 
Shootout On The Prairie – Minot Auditorium
Hatton-Northwood def. Velva, 49-35
Kenmare-Bowbells def. Bishop Ryan, 39-17
Bottineau def. Dickinson Trinity, 48-26
Thompson def. South Prairie-Max, 55-31
Wahpetion def. Stanley, 44-22
May-Port-CG def. Westhope-Newburg, 55-28
 
CNDC Tournament – Rugby High School
7th Place
Harvey-Wells County def. Drake-Anamoose, 51-36
5th Place
Minot North def. Glenburn, 48-42
3rd Place
St. John def. New Rockford-Sheyenne, 50-45
Championship
Rugby def. T-G-U, 59-57 OT
 
High School Girls Basketball
Class AA
#1 Minot High def. West Fargo Sheyenne, 79-48 (Soph. Leelee Bell surpassed 1000 career points)
#4 Bismarck Legacy def. Fargo North, 77-48
Bismarck High def. West Fargo, 64-49
Mandan def. Fargo Shanley, 94-50
Dickinson def. Dawson County MT, 56-50
Grand Forks Central def. East Grand Forks MN, 64-58
 

High School Boys Basketball
Class AA
#1 Fargo North def. Bismarck Legacy, 78-74
#3 Minot High def. West Fargo Sheyenne, 76-73
#5 Bismarck High def. West Fargo, 99-74
Grand Forks Central def. Minot North, 107-63
Mandan def. Fargo Shanley, 74-53
Dickinson def. Dawson County MT, 80-49
 

High School Girls Gymnastics
Bismarck Gymnastics Invite
1. Jamestown, 140.850
2. Bismarck Century, 137.050
3. Grand Forks, 124.100
4. Bismarck Legacy, 123.825
5. Bismarck High, 85.600
6. Breckenridge-Wahpeton, 83.750
 
All-Around Winner: Julia Skari of Jamestown, 36.7
 

High School Boys Hockey
Dickinson def Bottineau-Rugby, 5-2
Williston def. Bismarck High, 2-1 OT
Devils Lake def. Mandan, 5-2
Bismarck Legacy def. Fargo Davies, 6-5 OT
 

High School Girls Hockey
Grand Forks def. Minot High, 3-0
Williston def. Devils Lake, 4-2
West Fargo United def. Mandan, 2-0
Fargo North-South def. Dickinson, 5-0
 

High School Boys Wrestling
Sidney MT Wrestling Invite
10. Minot High, 85
 

High School Girls Wrestling
Bismarck Public Schools Wrestling Invite
4. Minot High, 134
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MINOTAUROS
 
MINOT, ND – The Minot Minotauros got goals from John Small in the first period and Colby Woogk in the third, but came up shot in Aberdeen as the Wings won 3-2 on Saturday. James Norton made 24 saves for Minot. The Tauros still lead the NAHL Central Division by 3 points over St. Cloud. Minot is on the road again next weekend at Austin.
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MSU MENS BASKETBALL
 
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (MSU) – The Minot State men’s basketball team shot 57.9 percent from deep on the way to an 85-70 win over the Saint Cloud State Huskies on the road Saturday in NSIC action. The Beavers (5-2 overall, 2-1 NSIC) had four players score in double figures, led by Connor Hollenbeck, who had 20 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Khari Broadway added 18 points and Michael Jok helped out with 13 points. Hollenbeck pulled down four offensive rebounds to lead the Minot State offense which grabbed 10 boards and turned them into 14 second-chance points. The Minot State defense was a problem in Saturday’s game, forcing 14 Saint Cloud State turnovers while committing 12. Those takeaways turned into 20 points on the other end of the floor. Jaxon Gunville led the way individually for the Beavers with two steals. Minot State now returns home to host Valley City State on Wednesday night at 6 p.m., then in-state rival Mary on Saturday in a Beaver-Marauder tripleheader starting at 1:30 p.m.
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MSU WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
ST. CLOUD, Minn. (MSU) – The Minot State women’s basketball team got a 28-point performance from the bench, but fell 75-54 to the St. Cloud State Huskies on the road Saturday in NSIC action. Lorelei McIver led the Beavers (2-8 overall, 1-2 NSIC) with 14 points. Sydney Gustavsson also tacked on seven points and two steals and Cassidy King helped out with three points and six rebounds off of the bench. Minot State pulled down 31 rebounds in Saturday’s game compared to St. Cloud State’s 28, led by King’s six boards. Minot State now returns home to host Valley City State on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.
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MSU MENS HOCKEY
 
MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – Everything was clicking tonight for the Minot State men’s hockey team and are back on track following a sweep over the weekend. The No. 2 Beavers (14-4-0) defeated Grand Canyon University (7-12-0) by a final score of 6-0 at Maysa Arena on Saturday night. There was no scoring for the first sixteen minutes of game time, until the Beavers broke the ice at 16:17 of the first period. After leading 1-0 at the end of the first, Minot State added two more in the second, including a power-play goal to make it 3-0 after 40 minutes. They went ahead and doubled their score in the third period when the Beavers tallied three more, once again on the power play and another shorthanded to finish the game at 6-0. Minot State played with the lead all game, as GCU never found the back of the net. This weekend was the only series both teams will meet during the regular season. The Jerome brothers combined forces for the opening goal, as Walker Jerome secured his fifth goal of the season assisted by Payton Jerome and Matthew Yakubowski. Brayden Pawluk would add one for the Beavers on the power play from Jay Buchholz and Reid Arnold. The second period would continue to be a good one for Arnold, as he followed up with his 10th goal this year from Josh Pederson. In the third period, the Beavers would pull away with goals coming from Colby Joseph, Reece Henry on the power play, and Logan Cya with a gift while shorthanded. Carter Barley registered two assists on the night as he continues to pace Minot State in total points. After getting the night off, Jake Anthony returned to the crease for the Beavers. He stopped all 13 shots that came his way as Minot State continued to play strong defensively over the weekend. The Beavers grab their second win to complete the sweep over the Grand Canyon Antelopes. It also marks their fifth victory all-time versus the Lopes’.
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MSU WOMENS HOCKEY
 
MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – Minot State women’s hockey returned to the Magic City and put on a show for the hometown crowd, scoring nine goals as they take care of business against the Lumberjacks of Dakota College at Bottineau. There was plenty of offense on display at Maysa Arena, with the No. 8 Beavers (8-9-0) getting the bulk of the load. Three total goals made up the first period, followed by an onslaught by Minot State in the second period with five, and two more Beaver tallies for good measure. The Lumberjacks (4-5-0) scored once in every period during regulation as they managed to net three themselves. Special teams were a huge factor, as the Beavers collected three short-handed goals and a power-play marker themselves. Bottineau also registered a shorty and power-play tally themselves. Minot State opens the weekend slate with a win after defeating Dakota College at Bottineau 9-3 on Friday in the first meeting between both teams since January 21. Both teams will battle again tomorrow in Bottineau at the Lumberdome for a 2:00 p.m. puck drop. The ice breaker belonged to Aspen Cooper at 5:49 of the first period, as she knotted her fifth goal of the season from Gillian Gervin. After Bottineau scored while being down a skater, Mia Mckee ended period one with the first of two goals on the night from Paige Kozak and Makena Welby. The Lumberjacks tied it midway through the second period, but it was all Beavers after that. Kaitlyn Snyder, Chloe Stewart, and Olivia Kirwan scored their first collegiate goals, with Snyder scoring again and both of her goals being shorthanded. Makenna Beard made a nice move to grab her first of the season also while the Beavers were down a skater. Makena Welby notched her second goal on Mia Mckee’s first assist of the young season. Also getting on the scoresheet was Payton Lang with her first assist of the year just like Mckee. Anna German also picked up a helper in the victory. Morgan Baker got the call to start in net for the Beavers, making 14 saves on 17 shots. The Beavers scored in bunches through all facets of the game. Even strength, shorthanded, power plays, you name it. They extended their winning streak to three games. Minot State moves ahead with a 1-0-0 record against Dakota College at Bottineau this season.
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MSU TRACK & FIELD
 
BISMARCK, N.D. (MSU) – What a way to set the tone for the season. Freshman Jasiah Hambira cleared 6 feet, 7.75 inches in his collegiate debut on Saturday, finishing second in the men’s high jump at the Marauder Indoor Opener and writing his name into the Minot State record books from day one. Hambira’s effort broke the NCAA Division II school record in the event and also is an NCAA national provisional qualifying mark, an impressive debut for Hambira. He broke the record of 6-7 set by Leif Nelson during the 2021-22 indoor season. But he wasn’t the only Beaver to impress on Saturday as the indoor track and field season got underway at the meet hosted by the University of Mary as returners Summer Krebsbach and Nathan Trujillo-Aragon broke their own school records on a great first day for Minot State. Krebsbach, a sophomore, was third in the women’s 60-meter dash in 7.95 seconds, but she shattered her own school record from last season of 8.0 seconds as she clocked a time of 7.89 in the 60-meter prelims Saturday. As for Trujillo-Aragon, a senior hurdler who set the D-II school record in the 60-meter hurdles of 8.46 last season, he broke that mark his first time out this winter as he finished second in the 60 hurdles in 8.39 seconds on Saturday. While that trio set the tone with record-setting performances, other Beavers excelled as well, starting with thrower Samuel Kreins who won the men’s shot put with a throw of 46-6.25, and nearly made it a sweep as he was second in the weight throw with a distance of 48-6. Junior transfer De’Andre Cornwall nearly added a school record in the women’s 60-meter hurdles as she was second on the day in 9.20, fractions of a second off the school record of 9.16 clocked by DelRay Audet in 2016. And the Minot State women’s 4×400 relay team of Emma Walker, Alyssia Trigleth, Krebsbach, and Sydney Wilson added a second-place finish on the day in 4:15.60 for Minot State, which now gets more than a month off for the holidays before returning to action on January 13 at the Bison Team Cup hosted by North Dakota State.
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MSU MENS WRESTLING
 
MINOT, N.D (MSU) – It might have been a bit more exciting than the Beavers hoped for, but in the end No. 25 Minot State prevailed. Minot State took control in the early matches, grabbing five wins and forging a 13-point lead, then hung on to beat visiting Southwest Minnesota State 16-15 – after both teams lost a team point – in NSIC men’s wrestling action Saturday at the MSU Dome. After splitting the weekend at home in NSIC dual action, the Beavers now hit the road for the Dragon Open tournament on Sunday at Minnesota State Moorhead. Saturday, the Beavers (3-1 duals, 1-1 NSIC) got things rolling after an opening-match setback, as Wayne Joint dominated in his 133-pound match, scoring a 20-2 technical fall victory to Minot State a 5-4 lead in the team total. And that total kept growing as Minot State won the next four in a row as Ethan Wonser got an early takedown and a second-round escape to edge out Hunter Pfantz for a 4-3 at 141 pounds, then Kasius Graham grabbed a 7-2 decision at 149 pounds, scoring a pair of takedowns in the match. Kelby Armstrong broke a scoreless tie in the second round of his 157-pound match with an escape and takedown and went on to a 5-2 decision, then Brendan Barnes capped the run of wins with a 2-1 decision as he and Ashton LaBelle traded escaped over seven minutes of action, and Barnes earned the win thanks to 1 minute, 10 seconds of riding time. That gave the Beavers a 17-4 lead before the Mustangs (0-2, 0-2) made their charge with four straight decisions for 12 points, that left the final margin a one-point Beaver victory.
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MSU WOMENS WRESTLING
 
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (MSU) – The Minot State women’s wrestling team racked up milestones last season but one thing they did not claim was an individual tournament title. Saturday, the Beavers claimed three. Freshmen Ari Korish, Bella Hernandez, and Haleigh Lematta each enjoyed a perfect day on the mats Saturday as each claimed their respective weight-class championship at the Jimmie Lady Knight Open hosted by Jamestown. Competing at 123 pounds, Korish won a pair of matches by pin in the round-robin tournament to claim her championship. Teammate Trinity Boivin finished third at 123 pounds. At 130 pounds, Hernandez also picked up a pair of wins by pin for the weight-class title in a field that was a Beaver sweep as Emily light was second and Keela Kary third. And at 143 pounds, Lematta also pinned two opponents for her title. Minot State also grabbed a pair of second-place finishes on the day as Julia Petryna was 2-1 at 116 pounds and Michelle Kelin went 1-1 at 171 pounds. Skye Shelmerdine added a third-place finish at 116 as she was 1-2. Riding the momentum of three tournament titles, the Beavers now head to South Dakota where they wrestle a dual at Dakota Wesleyan, then wrap up the pre-Christmas portion of their schedule at Chadron State on Dec. 10.
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UND HOCKEY
 
DENVER (UND) – No. 3 Denver struck 2:06 into overtime to defeat No. 2 North Dakota, 3-2, on Saturday night in Magness Arena in Denver, Colo. UND (12-3-1, 5-1-0 NCHC) finishes the weekend with four out of the possible six points in the league standings, but Carter King’s overtime winner snaps the winning streak at eight for the Fighting Hawks. North Dakota was able to start strong once again, using its special teams to take control of the play and eventually earn a 1-0 lead. Following a major penalty on Denver, Cameron Berg capitalized with his third goal of the weekend on a rocket shot through a Hunter Johannes screen to give the visitors the advantage after 20 minutes. It was Denver who came out with a push to begin the middle frame, knotting the game up at 1-1 on a goal from Aidan Thompson less than five minutes into the second period. UND started to generate some chances towards the end of the stanza, including a pair of strong opportunities from Louis Jamernik V, but the game remained deadlocked heading into the final period. North Dakota took the lead early in the third period when Johannes finished off a 3-on-2 rush to give the advantage back to the visitors, but Denver came back to tie it again on a shot through traffic by Zeev Buium to send the game into overtime knotted at 2-2. In the extra session, the Pioneers took the victory on a rebound goal just before the halfway point of the overtime period to nab the victory and snap UND’s winning streak at eight. North Dakota returns home to close out the home portion of the opening half against Colorado College beginning next Friday at 7:07 p.m. from Ralph Engelstad Arena.
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NDSU FOOTBALL
 
BOZEMAN, Mont. (NDSU) – Offensive lineman Hunter Poncius blocked Montana State’s point-after-touchdown kick in overtime to lift North Dakota State a 35-34 victory in the second round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship on Saturday, Dec. 2, before a crowd of 17,247 at Bobcat Stadium. The victory moved North Dakota State (10-3) into the FCS quarterfinals for the 14th straight year, where the Bison will play No. 3 seed South Dakota (10-2) next weekend at the DakotaDome in Vermillion. NDSU snapped No. 6 seed Montana State’s 26-game home winning streak and broke Georgia Southern’s record of 45 FCS playoff victories. The Bison are now 46-4 in the FCS playoffs since 2010. Neither team led by more than seven points all day. TK Marshall’s 29-yard touchdown run and Griffin Crosa’s PAT kick with 2:33 left tied the game at 28, and the Bison defense held after a 29-yard run by MSU quarterback Sean Chambers got the Bobcats to the Bison 36. Eli Mostaert stuffed a run for 0 yards and Jake Kava and Dylan Hendricks had back-to-back sacks to force a punt with 35 seconds left. NDSU had the first possession in overtime. TaMerik Williams and Cole Payton got the Bison two first downs rushing before Cam Miller’s 3-yard touchdown. Scottre Humphrey scored on a 25-yard run on MSU’s first play of overtime before the blocked PAT. Williams rushed 11 times for a career-high 162 yards including a pair of go-ahead touchdowns from 44 yards in the second quarter and 75 yards on the first play of the third quarter. Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott ran 18 times for 151 yards and two touchdowns while completing 13 of 17 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game with an injury in the fourth quarter. Cole Wisniewski made a team-high nine tackles for North Dakota State including one of NDSU’s eight tackles for loss and an interception on the final play of the first half.
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WOLVES-HORNETS
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns scored 28 points, Rudy Gobert had a season-high 26 and grabbed 12 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves finished strong to beat the Charlotte Hornets 123-117 on Saturday. Charlotte led by four with 4:53 remaining before Towns and Gobert combined to score eight points in a 13-3 surge that put the Timberwolves ahead 115-109 with 2:02 left. Charlotte would get no closer than three the rest of the way. Gobert, who was listed as questionable with a hip injury, hadn’t scored more than 17 points in a game this season. Minnesota improved the best record in the Western Conference to 15-4. Naz Reid scored 23 points and Mike Conley finished with 14 points and 10 assists. The Timberwolves host San Antonio on Wednesday.
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VIKINGS-FLORES
 
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings stumbled to an 0-3 start, endured seven games without superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson and have started three different quarterbacks after king-of-durability Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending injury. How, then, have they managed to maintain control of a spot in the playoffs with five games to go? That’s a tribute to Brian Flores, whose bold debut as Minnesota’s defensive coordinator will undoubtedly put him in the conversation for head coach vacancies around the NFL when the next hiring cycle begins. “I’m having a great time coaching this team. I am thankful for the opportunity to coach this group of guys,” Flores said. “It’s fun group to coach. They work hard. It’s important to them.” Flores has not only rejuvenated a defense that had been struggling for the last three years — and even through the first three weeks of this season — but served as a valuable confidant to head coach Kevin O’Connell as the Vikings have navigated a series of depth chart challenges they didn’t face in 2022. “That was, selfishly for me, one of the big reasons why I was excited about bringing Flo in here,” O’Connell said. “From a leadership standpoint, from a player-development standpoint, from his understanding of football, situational football.”
 
Hiring Ed Donatell as defensive coordinator became one of O’Connell’s rookie mistakes. Replacing him after one year with Flores has been one of his most important decisions since. “He is incredibly bright. He is somebody that I trust completely. That does not surprise me. That was my expectation when I brought him in here, that he would do what he has done with our defense, and he has surpassed what even I thought could be possible in year one,” O’Connell said. “Ultimately, that is not a surprise to me that the league is taking notice with the quality of a coach and man that he is.” The New York native, who was raised by Honduran parents in a rough part of Brooklyn and went on to play at Boston College, broke into the league as a scout with New England. He moved onto the coaching staff under Bill Belichick and spent 15 years with the Patriots with four Super Bowl titles along the way. He eventually ran the defense and in 2019 became Miami’s head coach. His career hit a snag when the Dolphins fired him after three years. He wound up suing the league and multiple clubs for racial discrimination in their hiring practices, a case that continues to plod through the court system and has become a flashpoint for the NFL’s long-lagging rate of minority head coaches. After resetting last season as an assistant with Pittsburgh, Flores accepted the job working for O’Connell.
 
One of the mottos Flores developed during his time in New England as both a scout and a coach was, “Don’t tell me what a player can’t do. Tell me what he can do.” He immediately went to work on maximizing the experience and skill of edge rusher Danielle Hunter and safety Harrison Smith, valuable veterans whose impact was stifled last year. He identified a talent in Josh Metellus, who was just a backup safety and a special teams contributor before thriving in a hybrid role in coverage, run stopping and rushing from multiple spots. He sought input from the players about the scheme and the calls. “It still all comes with an all-11 feel where it feels like they are all working together. The communication is clean. The operation is clean. Total credit to Flo and his staff and the way they have evolved throughout the season. I have really admired just taking something and making it better,” O’Connell said.
 
The Vikings have risen to eighth in the NFL in points allowed per game (20.2), after ranking 29th last season (25.1). They’re ninth in red zone touchdown rate against (50%), up from 21st last season (57.1%). They’re ninth in yards allowed per play (5.01), after finishing third-worst (5.91) in 2022. According to Sportradar data, their missed tackle rate (5.7%) is the second-best in the league. Beyond the numbers, the aesthetics show and anecdotes tell a story of improvement. Opponents have respectfully remarked about the challenge of facing the Flores-directed defense. Vikings offensive players and coaches were routinely confused during training camp by the unorthodox alignments and movements before and after the snap. There’s more swarming the ball, more disruption in the backfield and more joy apparent on the field. Flores has not spoken publicly about the lawsuit, nor has he wanted his head coaching aspirations to intrude on his current job running this Vikings defense. Last week, though, as the Thanksgiving holiday approached, he sounded a bit sentimental about a vital career stop that could end up being a short one. “You want to enjoy these moments with them,” Flores said, “because every year everything’s different.”
 
 
 

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K-Heart Sports – 12/2/23

K-HEART SPORTS – SATURDAY – 12/02/23
 

MINOT, ND – Friday was day one of the two day Shootout On The Prairie here in Minot. It was also the second day of the CNDC Girls Basketball Tournament in Rugby. Friday was also opening day for Class AA basketball with both the Minot High girls and boys getting a win.
 
High School Girls Basketball
 
Shootout On The Prairie – Minot Auditorium
Velva def. Stanley, 42-29
Dickinson Trinity def. Westhope-Newburg, 51-23
Hatton-Northwood def. Bishop Ryan, 50-15
Thompson def. Bottineau, 53-46
May-Port-CG def. Kenmare-Bowbells, 49-26
South Prairie-Max def. Wahpeton, 62-51
 
Today’s schedule
Hatton-Northwood vs. Velva, 11:30 am
Bishop Ryan vs. Kenmare-Bowbells, 1 pm
Bottineau vs. Dickinson Trinity, 2:30 pm
South Prairie-Max vs. Thompson, 4 pm
Stanley vs. Wahpeton, 5:30 pm
May-Port-CG vs Westhope-Newburg, 7 pm
 
————
 
High School Girls Basketball
 
CNDC Tournament – Rugby High School
Consolation
Minot North def. Drake-Anamoose, 64-36
Glenburn def. Harvey-Wells County, 48-41
Semifinal
T-G-U def. New Rockford-Sheyenne, 57-56
Rugby def. St. John, 61-57
 
Today’s schedule
7th Place
Drake-Anamoose vs. Harvey-Wells County, 1:30 pm
5th Place
Minot North vs. Glenburn, 3 pm
3rd Place
New Rockford-Sheyenne vs. St. John, 4:30 pm
Championship
T-G-U vs. Rugby, 6 pm
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High School Girls Basketball
 
Class AA
#1 Minot High def. West Fargo, 86-40
#4 Bismarck Legacy def. Fargo Shanley, 64-50
Bismarck High def. West Fargo Sheyenne, 68-50
Mandan def. Fargo North, 65-54
 
Class A
Des Lacs-Burlington def. Killdeer, 35-25
Nedrose def. Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood (Class B), 60-28
New Town def. Standing Rock, 46-29
 
Class B
#7 Central McLean def. Linton-HMB, 71-26
Surrey def. #8 Tioga, 68-53
Garrison def. Parshall, 67-42
Divide County def. North Shore-Plaza, 50-25
 

High School Boys Basketball
 
Class AA
#1 Fargo North def. Mandan, 75-74
#3 Minot High def. West Fargo, 73-40
#4 Bismarck Century def. Moorhead MN, 79-57
West Fargo Sheyenne def. #5 Bismarck High, 82-76
Bismarck Legacy def. Fargo Shanley, 63-41
 

High School Boys Hockey
Jamestown def. Bottineau-Rugby, 4-3
Fargo Davies def. Bismarck Century, 7-3
 

High School Girls Hockey
Minot High def. Devils Lake, 7-1
Grand Forks def. Williston, 4-3
West Fargo United def. Dickinson, 3-1
Bismarck Century def. Fargo Davies, 3-2
 

High School Boys Wrestling
Harvey-Wells County def. Bishop Ryan, 39-36
New Salem-Almont def. Bishop Ryan, 42-30
Beulah-Hazen def. Bishop Ryan, 42-30
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MSU MENS BASKETBALL
 
BEMIDJI, MN (MSU) -The Minot State men’s basketball team got a 24-point performance from the bench, but fell 88-77 to the Bemidji State Beavers on the road Friday in NSIC action. The Beavers (4-2 overall, 1-1 NSIC) had four players score in double figures, led by Khari Broadway, who had 17 points and two steals. Ben Bohl added 13 points and Dylan Gichaba helped out with 12 points off the bench. Minot State started out the scoring by going on a 10-0 run to take an early lead with 16:59 left in the first half. The Beavers then lost some of that lead, but still entered halftime with a 38-35 advantage. Minot State did most of its first-half damage in the paint, scoring 20 of its 38 points close to the basket. After a Bohl layup made it 42-37, Bemidji State erased the Minot State lead with a 9-1 run, grabbing a 54-48 advantage it never relinquished in the game’s final half, picking up the 88-77 comeback victory. Minot State took care of business in the paint, recording 20 of its 39 points in the lane. The Beavers play this afternoon at St. Cloud State at 3:30 pm.
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MSU WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
BEMIDJI, Minn. (MSU) – Sydney Gustavsson scored 22 points to help lead the Minot State women’s basketball team past the Bemidji State Beavers 68-56 on the road Friday in NSIC action. The Beavers (2-7 overall, 1-1 NSIC) had four players score in double figures, led by Gustavsson, who had 22 points. Emily Srejma tacked on 14 points and Taylor Goss chipped in as well with 10 points and four assists as Minot State jumped on top 29-13 after one quarter, making 12-of-17 shots (70.59 percent) to start the game. Led by Goss’ two offensive rebounds, Minot State did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 10 boards that resulted in eight second-chance points. The Minot State defense was effective at taking away the basketball in Friday’s game, forcing 17 Bemidji State turnovers while committing 10. Those takeaways turned into 22 points on the offensive end of the floor. Lorelei McIver led the way individually for the Beavers with two steals. After playing to a 9-9 tie early in the game, Minot State went on a 20-0 run with 6:47 left in the first quarter, culminating in a bucket from Jaime Skeggs, to take a 29-9 lead. The Beavers then lost some of that lead, but still entered the quarter break with a 29-13 advantage. Minot State did most of its first-quarter damage in the paint, scoring 16 of its 29 points close to the basket. Minot State kept its first-quarter lead intact before going on a 10-0 run starting at the 8:34 mark in the second period to increase its lead to 41-15. The host Beavers cut into that lead, but the Minot State Beavers still enjoyed a 44-26 advantage heading into halftime. Minot State plays at St. Cloud State today at 5:30 pm.
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MSU MENS HOCKEY
 
MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The Minot State men’s hockey team got what they were looking for, which was a win to end a three-game losing streak. The No. 2 Beavers (13-4-0) took care of Grand Canyon University (7-11-0), winning by a final score of 4-1 at Maysa Arena on Friday night. Minot got on the board early in the first, followed by two goals in the second including one short-handed. A solo power-play tally was not enough for the Lopes’ as the Beavers closed it out with an answer of their own on the man advantage. Minot State got the scoring started at 5:12 of the first period. Two more would come their way in a six-minute and three-second span during the middle frame, followed by matching power-play goals to round out the third period. GCU broke through at 4:51 of the third to end the shutout effort. Both teams will meet again at Maysa Arena at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Reece Henry and Josh Pederson both netted their third goal of the season, with Henry getting the ice breaker. Carter Barley assisted on Pederson’s short-handed goal that opened the second period. Reid Arnold tallied his ninth goal from Logan Cyca and Sheldin Howard. After Grand Canyon’s top gun Hunter Schmitz racked up his seventh, the game was put to rest after Jay Buchholz chipped in his sixth goal of the year to give the Beavers some late insurance, with Reid Arnold and Christian Kadolph assisting on the play. Riley Wallace got the start in net and did not disappoint, making 14 saves on 15 shots with a solid defensive effort in front of him. The Beavers took care of business against the Grand Canyon Antelopes in the first of a two-game series. Minot State also grabs their fourth victory all-time versus Grand Canyon. After intermission, Minot State held on to its advantage and owned a 56-42 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Minot State played well near the basket, scoring six of its 12 points in the paint. Minot State kept its lead intact before going on a 5-0 run, finished off by Ashley Wacha’s three, to grow the lead to 61-44 with 5:45 to go in the contest. The Bemidji State Beavers narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Minot State Beavers still cruised the rest of the way for the 68-56 win. Minot State took advantage of four Bemidji State turnovers in the quarter, scoring three points off of those takeaways.
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MSU MENS WRESTLING
 
MINOT, N.D. (MSU) – The old cliché “it was closer than the score indicated” truly fit the NSIC opener for the Minot State men’s wrestling team Friday night. Brendan Barnes and Jake Swirple scored thrilling final-second victories and Wayne Joint added a gutsy win, but No. 25-ranked Minot State fell 29-9 to the fourth-ranked St. Cloud State Huskies. A Huskies team that grabbed a pair of last-second victories, as well, a 12-point swing in the final score as Logen Fischer fell in overtime in his 125-pound match and Kasius Graham also saw a match slip away in the final seconds at 149 pounds. But in the matches the Beavers (2-1 overall, 0-1 NSIC) did win, they were equally thrilling as Swirple, the No. 3 ranked heavyweight in the nation, remained unbeaten with an 8-5 win in overtime. Down late in his match, Swirple scored a takedown in the final minute of round three, tying it 5-5, then a takedown in sudden-victory overtime gave him the win and put the Beavers on the scoreboard down 13-3 in the dual. The very next match again went to overtime as Fischer used a takedown and a four-point near fall late in the third to force the extra session, tied 9-9, before a takedown by Archer Heelan gave St. Cloud State (3-0 duals, 1-0 NSIC) the victory. Minot State answered back at 133 as Joint used an early takedown to grab a 3-0 lead against No. 9-ranked Caleb Meekins, then fended off the Huskies’ Meekins who scored a point for riding time, but that was it in Joint’s 3-1 decision win. The Beavers’ Graham then made his bid for a victory at 149 pounds, leading 13-7 late before a determined rally by Nolan Thorne, who scored a takedown and a four-point near fall to spoil Graham’s plans as Thorne took a 14-13 decision. But the highlight of the night came in the final match of the dual at 165 pounds as Barnes trailed 8-6 late against No. 4 ranked Anthony Herrera but the Beaver junior got a takedown, rolled Herrera on his back and racked up four near-fall points for the thrilling 13-8 upset decision. Minot State now continues a busy weekend today as the Beavers host Southwest Minnesota State at 2 p.m. at the MSU Dome.
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NAHL HOCKEY
 
MINOT, ND – The Minot Minotauros tallied at 4-3 win in Aberdeen on Friday. Trevor Stachowiak and Jack O’Hanisain scored first period goals, but the Tauros trailed 3-2 after 20 minutes. John Small would tie the game in the second period and Niklas Ketonen got the winner for Minot in the third. Brady James tallied 9 saves in the first period. James Norton minded the net for the second and third periods for the Tauros stopping all 19 shots he faced. Same two teams play again tonight.
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UND HOCKEY
 
DENVER (UND) – Trailing by three just 13 minutes into the game, No. 2 North Dakota mounted a rally behind four goals in the third period to defeat No. 3 Denver, 7-5, on Friday night from a raucous Magness Arena in Denver. UND (12-2-1, 5-0-0 NCHC) stuck for a tetrad of goals over the final 14 minutes of the contest to turn a 5-3 deficit heading into the third into a 7-5 victory to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to eight and remain unbeaten in league play. Jackson Blake struck at the 6:00 mark of the stanza to pull the Fighting Hawks within one, as the sophomore forward danced around his defender and sniped a shot over the shoulder of the DU (10-4-1, 3-2-0 NCHC) goaltender to turn the momentum towards the visiting side. Still down by a goal with under seven minutes to play despite constant pressure, NoDak finally brought the game level at 5-5 when Louis Jamernik V made a great move on a partial breakaway following a slick feed from Dylan James to complete the rally. UND took the lead for the first time since the opening 105 seconds of the contest, as Riese Gaber wired home his eighth goal of the season from his favorite spot on the power play before Cameron Berg extended the advantage to 7-5 just 27 seconds later with his second tally of the night to cap the largest comeback win for the program since Nov. 17, 2017 against these same Pioneers.
 
All nine of North Dakota’s top forwards recorded at least one point, with Owen McLaughlin and Blake each leading the way with a trio of points on a goal and two helpers apiece. Berg notched his second straight two-goal game on a Friday while Jake Schmaltz returned from injury with a pair of helpers and James also added a goal and an assist for a multi-point outing. Reigning NCHC Rookie of the Week Jake Livanavage notched multiple points for the first time in his career with two helpers and Garrett Pyke recorded the primary assist on Gaber’s game-winning goal to give the Alaska transfer points in three of his last four games. UND jumped out to the start it wanted, with James striking on a deflection off a Schmaltz shot just 1:45 into the game, but DU exploded with four goals in the final 18 minutes of the first period to grab a commanding 4-1 lead at the end of the first. NoDak started to chip away at the deficit in the middle stanza, with McLaughlin and Berg each scoring on slick feeds from Blake and Jayden Perron, respectively, but DU struck right after a power play expired to take a 5-3 advantage into the third period. The final 20 minutes completely belonged to the visitors, striking four times, including a trio of goals in a 3:31 span in the closing six minutes to rally back for the 7-5 win. North Dakota and Denver close out the weekend series tonight at 7:07 p.m. (CT) from Magness Arena.
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UND MENS BASKETBALL
 
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND) – The North Dakota men’s basketball team had its six-game winning streak snapped Friday night, falling at Cal State Fullerton 64-54. Eli King led the green and white with 14 points, which matched his career high. He came one board short of a double-double with a team high nine rebounds. B.J. Omot and Brady Danielson tied for the team lead with two assists, while Omot led with two blocks and Amar Kuljuhovic led with two steals. Tsotne Tsartsidze got the Fighting Hawks on the board first with a triple to go up 3-2 in the early going, but the lead was short lived for the Fighting Hawks; who were playing from behind most of the game. Omot made a layup with 12:46 left in the half to put UND up 10-9, but after Fullerton took back the lead NoDak was unable to take it back the rest of the night. Elijah Brooks made the last basket of the first half, but the hosts took a 34-21 lead into intermission. Layups from Treysen Eaglestaff and Kuljuhovic brought UND back within single digits at 34-25 early in the second half, but the Fighting Hawks could not keep the early momentum going as Fullerton went back up double digits. NoDak made their biggest move from 8:56-6:07 in the second half, with an 11-4 run that made it a one possession game at 50-47. King had seven points in the run, with Tsartsidze and Eaglestaff each with two. After a three-point play from CSUF, Omot once again made it a one possession game with a bucket from downtown, but the Fighting Hawks could not pull any closer the rest of the way. NoDak will head east on Highway 91 as they finish up their Los Angeles two-step Sunday against UC Riverside.
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NDSU WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – The North Dakota State women’s basketball team picked up a 93-73 win over Eastern Michigan after burying a season-high 13 three-pointers on Friday night at Scheels Center. Heaven Hamling posted her first 20-point performance and second double-double of the season with a season-high 23 points and 10 rebounds. The Grand Rapids, Minn., native shot 5-of-10 from three and added three assists, two steals and one block to her stat line. Elle Evans also tallied 17 points with a team-best five assists. As a team, the Bison (3-4) shot 50 percent (33-66) from the field and 50 percent (13-26) from three with 10 different players in the scoring column. Hamling (23), Evans (17), Abby Schulte (12), Abby Krzewinski (12) and Miriley Simon (11) all reached double figures in scoring. The Bison, who connected on nine triples and shot 69.2 percent from three in the first half, got off to a fast start after Hamling and Krzewinski each netted a three to make the score 6-2 at the 9:01 mark of the first quarter. NDSU then put together a 9-2 run to stretch its lead to 15-4 after a layup from Evans with 6:53 on the clock. NDSU led after the first frame, 29-18. The Bison started the second quarter on a quick 5-0 run to increase the lead to 34-18 after Hamling connected on a fastbreak layup with 9:04 to play in the half. NDSU, who never trailed in the contest, then began to pull way opening up a 20-point advantage, 45-25, following a jumper from Simon at the 5:01 mark. Eastern Michigan wasn’t able to cut the deficit down any further over the final two quarters as NDSU earned the 93-73 victory. NDSU will continue its homestand hosting Mayville State on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m., at Scheels Center.
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NDSU FOOTBALL
 
FARGO, ND (NDSU) – North Dakota State (9-3) goes on the road in FCS playoffs for only the fourth time in program history today as the Bison take on No. 6 seed Montana State (8-3) in the second round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship. Game time is 2 p.m. CT at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman, where Montana State has the longest active home winning streak in Division I at 26 games. North Dakota State forced five turnovers and rolled to a 66-3 victory over Drake in the first round of the FCS playoffs, setting NDSU postseason records for touchdowns (9) and points scored.
 
This is NDSU’s 50th game in the FCS playoffs, but only the fourth true road game for the Bison excluding 10 national championship game appearances in Frisco, Texas. NDSU hasn’t been on the road for the playoffs since April 2021 when the Bison lost 24-20 in the quarterfinals to eventual national champion Sam Houston State. NDSU’s first FCS playoff appearance in 2010 included two road games, a 42-17 second round win at Montana State and a 38-31 overtime loss to eventual national champion Eastern Washington in the quarterfinals.
 
Today’s winner will advance to face either Sacramento State (8-4) or No. 3 seed South Dakota (9-2) in next week’s quarterfinal round either Friday, Dec. 8, or Saturday, Dec. 9. NDSU has advanced to an FCS record 13 straight quarterfinals.
 
 

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K-Heart Sports – 12/01/23

K-HEART SPORTS – FRIDAY – 12/01/23
 

MINOT, ND – The first Class AA High School Basketball Polls of the season have been released. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NDAPSSA).
 
Class AA Girls Basketball Poll
 
Team (1st Place Votes)         Record    Polling Points
1. Minot High (14)                    0-0              89
2. Grand Forks Red River (5)  0-0              72
3. Fargo Davies                       0-0              51
4. Bismarck Legacy                 0-0              37
5. Bismarck Century                0-0              27
 
Others receiving votes: Bismarck High, West Fargo Sheyenne, Grand Forks Central, Jamestown
 
 
Class AA Boys Basketball Poll
 
Team (1st Place Votes)    Record    Polling Points
1. Fargo North (13)             0-0             89
2. Fargo Davies (5)             0-0             76
3. Minot High                      0-0              54
4. Bismarck Century (1)      0-0             29
5. Bismarck High                0-0              27
 
Other receiving votes: West Fargo Sheyenne, Grand Forks Central, Bismarck Legacy, Fargo South
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MINOT, ND – Basketball, hockey and wrestling were on the local sports schedule for Thursday.
 
High School Girls Basketball
 
CNDC Tournament – Rugby High School
 
First Round
T-G-U def. Drake-Anamoose, 77-26
New Rockford-Sheyenne def. Minot North, 61-51
Rugby def. Glenburn, 59-33
St. John def. Harvey-Wells County, 73-39
 
Today’s schedule
 
Consolation
Drake-Anamoose vs Minot North, 3 pm
Glenburn vs Harvey-Wells County, 4:30 pm
Semifinal
T-G-U vs New Rockford-Sheyenne, 6 pm
Rugby vs St. John, 7:30 pm
 

Class A
South Prairie-Max def. Parshall (Class B), 63-31
Belfield (Class B) def. Hazen, 54-38
 
Class B
Berthold def. Powers Lake-Burke Central, 53-26
Ray def. North Shore-Plaza, 46-36
Divide County def. Alexander, 47-11
Trenton def. Williston Trinity Christian, 49-19
 

High School Boys Hockey
Bismarck Legacy def. Mandan, 2-1
Hazen-Beulah def. Bismarck High, 7-2
 

High School Girls Hockey
Bismarck Century def. Jamestown, 2-0
Mandan def. Bismarck High-Legacy, 3-2
 

High School Boys Wrestling
Bismarck Century def. Mandan, 53-20
Bismarck Legacy def. Watford City, 59-12
 

High School Girls Wrestling
Mandan def. Bismarck Century, 53-12
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MSU WOMENS WRESTLING
 
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (MSU) – The battle of the young programs went to the host Cougars on Thursday night. The second-year Minot State women’s wrestling team got a pair of victories during the dual, but it wasn’t enough to spoil the first-ever home wrestling event for the first-year Sioux Falls Cougars who beat the Beavers 39-13. Freshman Bella Hernandez scored a win by pin in 49 seconds in her 130-pound match, and redshirt freshman Keela Kary added an 8-1 decision to the Beavers victory total at 136 pounds. That was all the victories for Minot State (3-3 duals) on the mat during the dual, though both teams claimed points in a double forfeit. Minot State did grab two more wins on the night, though, as Skye Shelmerdine and Trinity Boivin both wrestled in extra matches and picked up a win each by pin. Shelmerdine won by pin in 1:51 in a 116-pound match and Boivin won in 2:06 in her 123-pound match. In the midst of a busy week on the road, the Minot State women’s wrestling team wraps up three events in six days by competing at the Jimmie Lady Knight Open on Saturday hosted by the University of Jamestown.
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WOLVES-JAZZ
 
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points and 11 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves weathered the absence of leading scorer Anthony Edwards to beat the Utah Jazz 101-90 on Thursday night. The Wolves moved into a tie with Boston for the best record in the league (14-4). Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored a season-high 20 points and Rudy Gobert had 15 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks for Minnesota. Acquired in a trade with Utah last season that also brought veteran guard Mike Conley to the Wolves, Alexander-Walker had the chance to show his former team what he’s capable of when given the opportunity. Edwards, who averages 26.2 points per game, was sidelined with a right hip pointer he suffered in Tuesday’s win over Oklahoma City. Coach Chris Finch said Thursday he didn’t expect Edwards to be out long. The Wolves improved to 9-1 at home, while the Jazz fell to 1-9 on the road. The Timberwolves play at Charlotte on Saturday.
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WILD-PREDS
 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Connor Dewar had a hat trick and added an assist, Filip Gustavsson made 26 saves and the Minnesota Wild routed Nashville 6-1 on Thursday night to end the Predators’ winning streak at six games. Prior to Thursday, Dewar had never had more than a goal and two points in an NHL game. He appeared to score a fourth goal with just over four minutes remaining, but it was taken away after the Predators challenged the play as offside. Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and an assist, and Jake Middleton and Pat Maroon also scored for the Wild. They have won both games under new coach John Hynes. Hynes replaced Dean Evason behind the bench this week. Hynes served as Nashville’s coach for parts of four seasons before being relieved of his duties this past offseason by new general manager Barry Trotz. Andrew Brunette replaced Hynes in Nashville. The Predators played a tribute video of Hynes’ tenure during a first-period break. Minnesota scored three times in the first period. The Wild host Chicago on Sunday.
 
 

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K-Heart Sports – 11/29/23

K-HEART SPORTS – WEDNESDAY – 11/29/23
 

MINOT, ND – Several girls basketball teams began the season last night.
 
High School Girls Basketball
 
Class A
#5 Watford City def. New Town, 60-39
South Prairie-Max def. Kenmare-Bowbells (Class B #4), 65-47
Des Lacs-Burlington def. Beulah, 45-36
Nedrose def. Bishop Ryan (Class B), 64-34
Turtle Mountain def. Hazen, 56-30
Killdeer def. Stanley, 41-36
 
Class B
#7 Central McLean def. Glenburn, 81-22
Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood def. Divide County, 51-39
Westhope-Newburg def. Powers Lake-Burke Central, 48-43
Velva def. Parshall, 46-43
Trenton def. Alexander 67-8
North Prairie def. Benson County, 44-37
 

High School Boys Hockey
Minot High def. Mandan, 8-5
Dickinson def. Williston, 3-1
Bismarck Legacy def. Jamestown, 7-1
Bismarck Century JV def. Hazen-Beulah, 3-1
 

High School Girls Hockey
Bismarck High-Legacy def. Minot High, 7-4
Mandan def. Dickinson, 6-0
Grand Forks def. Devils Lake, 5-2
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MSU WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
GRAND FORKS, ND (MSU) – The Minot State women’s basketball team got a 20-point performance from the bench, but fell 82-53 to the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on the road Tuesday in non-conference action. Sydney Gustavsson led the Beavers (1-7 overall, 0-1 NSIC) with 14 points and three steals. Peyton Breidenbach tacked on eight points from the bench and Vilborg Jonsdottir helped out with four points and two steals. The Minot State offense was very productive from deep, pouring in eight threes on 27 attempts. Jaime Skeggs was the most prolific shooter for the Beavers, draining two treys in the contest. Minot State forced 18 North Dakota turnovers while committing 17 themselves in Tuesday’s game. The Beavers turned those takeaways into 13 points on the other end of the floor. Gustavsson’s three steals led the way for Minot State.
 
The score was tied 10-10 after the first quarter, and Minot State stuck with the Hawks to start the second before UND began to pull ahead. A three-pointer from DJ Davis at the midway point of the quarter started a 12-0 Fighting Hawk run to take a 33-19 lead. Following the Davis triple, the bench unit provided a spark to close the half, scoring 10 of the final 14 NoDak points to hold a 35-22 at intermission. Kiyah Hurst connected on 11-of-16 shot attempts on her way to 26 points for UND.
 
The Beavers next return to NSIC play at Bemidji State on Friday and St. Cloud State on Saturday.
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UND MENS BASKETBALL
 
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND) – The North Dakota men’s basketball team won its sixth straight game Tuesday night, defeating the Concordia (Minn.) Cobbers 87-56 at the Betty. It is the first 6-1 start for North Dakota since the 2002-03 season, when the team started 8-1. Amar Kuljuhovic notched his second double-double in three games with ten points and ten rebounds, while B.J. Omot led the team with 21 points, three blocks and three assists. Eli King also set a new career high with four steals.
The Fighting Hawks got off to a fast start with an early 7-2 lead, as Omot opened the scoring with a thunderous slam on the fast break, and Treysen Eaglestaff hit a three and then a jumper for five points. But the Cobbers gave the Fighting Hawks all they could handle in the early going, putting the green and white in as much as a five point hole in the first ten minutes. Later in the half, Omot scored back-to-back layups to tie the game at 20, and the middle of the half was tightly contested. After a jumper from Concordia made cut NoDak’s lead to 30-28, the hosts closed the half on an 11-2 run to go up 41-30 at intermission. Despite the surge at the end of the half for UND, Concordia scored the first six points of the second half to pull within five. But as the half went on, NoDak started to separate themselves. Tsotne Tsartsidze made the first basket of the second half for NoDak, Omot followed with a three to push the lead back to double digits and give UND some breathing room. The lead was trimmed back to single digits near the midpoint of the half at 54-46, but over the next 4:45 UND responded with a 14-4 run to go up 18. The green and white led Concordia off the scoreboard the last 3:37 of the game as they sealed the win.
 
The Fighting Hawks will go on the road this weekend against Cal State Fullerton and UC Riverside. Then return home to take on Portland on Saturday, December 9th at 1 p.m. at the Betty.
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NDSU MENS BASKETBALL
 
SAN JOSE, Calif. (NDSU) – The North Dakota State men’s basketball team lost at San Jose State on Monday night, falling 78-65 in the first of back-to-back matchups against the Spartans. San Jose State made 11-of-24 attempts (46 percent) from three-point range, while NDSU shot 5-of-19 (26 percent) from beyond the arc. The Bison shot 39 percent overall for the game. Sophomore Damari Wheeler-Thomas led NDSU with 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Boden Skunberg scored 13 points, and Andrew Morgan added 10 points and six boards. San Jose State led 32-27 at halftime after going ahead by as many as 10 points in the first half. The Bison scored the first six points of the second half to go up 33-32. With the Spartans leading 40-39, San Jose State rattled off an 8-0 run to push its advantage back to nine. SJSU’s Trey Anderson led all players with 21 points. The Bison (4-4) will host San Jose State in a rematch next Monday, Dec. 4, at the Scheels Center in Fargo.
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WOLVES-THUNDER
 
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rudy Gobert had 17 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks, reserve Troy Brown Jr. scored a season-high 17 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves withstood an injury to Anthony Edwards to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 106-103 on Tuesday night in the NBA In-Season Tournament. Edwards had 12 of his 21 points in the third quarter to lead the Wolves (13-4) back after trailing most of the first half, before landing hard during a dunk attempt and leaving the game with a bruised right hip. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points on 13-for-22 shooting for the Thunder. His 37-foot try to tie at the buzzer, his only 3-point attempt of the night, was well off the mark. Brown made one of two foul shots with 4.5 seconds left to give the Thunder an opening, but the Wolves capped a stifling defensive performance in the second half — fueled by a switch to zone — with one more denial. The Thunder (11-6) had only 42 points in the second half and shot 6 for 26 in the third quarter against a Wolves team that leads the Western Conference with the best 17-game start in franchise history. The Wolves finished 3-1 in the Western Conference Group C. The Thunder went 1-3. Golden State played at Sacramento later Tuesday to determine the group champion. By only winning by three points, the Wolves were eliminated from contention because point differential serves as the second tiebreaker behind head-to-head results. The Timberwolves host Utah on Thursday.
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WILD-BLUES
 
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Joel Eriksson Ek and Frederick Gaudreau scored in the first period and the Minnesota Wild ended a seven-game slide by beating St. Louis 3-1 on Tuesday. Matt Boldy added an insurance goal late and Filip Gustavsson made 23 saves for his first win in eight starts for Minnesota, playing its first game under coach John Hynes. A former bench boss with Nashville and New Jersey, Hynes took over Monday after the Wild fired Dean Evason. Colton Parayko netted the Blues goal. Jordan Binnington stopped 34 shots for St. Louis, including all 17 he faced in a second period owned by Minnesota. The Blues had just five shots on goal in the period. The Wild are at Nashville on Thursday.
 
 
 

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K-Heart Sports – 11/28/23

K-HEART SPORTS – TUESDAY – 11/28/23
 

MINOT, ND – The first high school basketball polls of the season were released on Monday. The polls are voted on by the North Dakota Associated Press Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NDAPSSA).
 
Class A Girls Basketball Poll
 
Team (1st Place Votes)    Record    Polling Points
1. Thompson (12)                0-0              84
2. Wahpeton (6)                   0-0              72
3. Grafton                             0-0              43
4. Northern Cass                  0-0              39
5. Watford City                      0-0              15
 
Others receiving votes: Devils Lake (0-0), Bottineau (0-0), Central Cass (0-0) South Prairie-Max (0-0)
 
 
Class B Girls Basketball Poll
 
Team (1st Place Votes)                      Record    Polling Points
1. Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich (13) 0-0             171
2. Bowman County (1)                          0-0             144
3. Sargent County (1)                            0-0            127
4. Kenmare-Bowbells (1)                       0-0            113
5. May-Port-CG (2)                                0-0            110
6. Edgeley-Kulm-Montpelier                  0-0            104
7. Central McLean                                 0-0              82
T8. Hatton-Northwood                           0-0              30
T8. Tioga                                                0-0             30
10. Grant County-Mott-Regent               0-0             17
Other receiving votes: Our Redeemer’s (0-0), LaMoure-Litchville-Marion (0-0), T-G-U (0-0), Garrison (0-0), New Rockford-Sheyenne (0-0), Linton-HMB (0-0), Maple River (0-0), Trenton (0-0)
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MINOT, ND – Two games on the opening night of girls basketball.
 
High School Girls Basketball
 
Class A
Carrington def. New Rockford-Sheyenne (Class B), 41-39
 
Class B
#1 Langdon Area-Edmore-Munich def. Dunseith, 67-38
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MSU MENS HOCKEY
 
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (MSU) – Back in action in their home state, yet still on the road, the No. 2 Minot State men’s hockey team came up short, 4-1, in a top-5 battle at No. 4-ranked Jamestown on Monday night. The Beavers (12-4-0 overall) got a goal from team captain Carter Barley with 5 minutes, 46 seconds gone in the second period, but that was all Minot State could muster. Colby Joseph and Walker Jerome assisted on the goal. Barley’s goal made it a 3-1 contest as the host Jimmies netted two in the first period, added an early second-period goal, then tacked on an insurance goal with 2:55 left in the middle period for the win. Jake Anthony finished with 24 saves on the day for the Beavers who now return home to host five in a row at the Maysa Arena, starting with Grand Canyon this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. each night.
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MSU WOMENS WRESTLING
 
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (MSU) – Renewing their budding rivalry, the Minot State women’s wrestling team picked up three wins on the mat but lost the dual against host Jamestown on Monday night. The two teams have now met five times in the brief history of the second-year Beaver program, including twice this season with the two teams splitting their head-to-head duals this year as Minot State won the last meeting 30-14. A trio of forfeits by the Beavers (3-2 duals) gave the host Jimmies (3-2) their 15-point advantage in the dual as the teams split the matches contested on the mats. Julia Petryna led the way for Minot State as she earned a 10-0 technical fall victory at 116 pounds over Jamestown’s Destiny Walsh, then she added a win by pin over Jenna Gerhardt in 3 minutes, 47 seconds in an extra match which did not go toward the dual team scoring. Ari Korish added a win by injury default in her 123-pound bout, putting Minot State on top 9-5 at the time in the dual. After a pair of wins put Jamestown on top 14-9 in the dual, the Beavers got a win by pin from Haleigh Lematta at 143 pounds in 3:30, tying the dual score at 14-14 before two forfeits and a win by pin helped the Jimmies claim the team victory. The dual is the start of a busy week of competition for the Beavers who next head to Sioux Falls for a first-ever meeting with the first-year Cougars on Thursday before returning to Jamestown on Saturday for the Jamestown Open tournament.
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NDSU MENS BASKETBALL
 
SAN JOSE, Calif. (NDSU) – The North Dakota State men’s basketball team lost at San Jose State on Monday night, falling 78-65 in the first of back-to-back matchups against the Spartans. San Jose State made 11-of-24 attempts (46 percent) from three-point range, while NDSU shot 5-of-19 (26 percent) from beyond the arc. The Bison shot 39 percent overall for the game. Sophomore Damari Wheeler-Thomas led NDSU with 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Boden Skunberg scored 13 points, and Andrew Morgan added 10 points and six boards. San Jose State led 32-27 at halftime after going ahead by as many as 10 points in the first half. The Bison scored the first six points of the second half to go up 33-32. With the Spartans leading 40-39, San Jose State rattled off an 8-0 run to push its advantage back to nine. SJSU’s Trey Anderson led all players with 21 points. The Bison (4-4) will host San Jose State in a rematch next Monday, Dec. 4, at the Scheels Center in Fargo.
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NDSU FOOTBALL-MVFC HONORS
 
ST. LOUIS (NDSU) – North Dakota State claimed nine spots on the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference teams on Monday as selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches, media and sports information directors. The Bison had seven first-team selections including senior Hunter Brozio, who was selected to two spots as the first team fullback and long snapper. Right guard Jake Kubas, left tackle Jalen Sundell, defensive end Dylan Hendricks, linebacker Logan Kopp and safety Cole Wisniewski also made the first team. NDSU quarterback Cam Miller finished third overall in the voting for MVFC Offensive Player of the Year behind South Dakota State running back Isaiah Davis and quarterback Mark Gronowski. Miller made the second team along with NDSU defensive tackle Eli Mostaert. North Dakota State had four players earn honorable mention – tight end Joe Stoffel, all-purpose player RaJa Nelson, punt returner Jayden Price and placekicker Griffin Crosa. NDSU (9-3) is scheduled to play No. 6 seed Montana State (8-3) in the second round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship at 1 p.m. MT on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman.
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UND FOOTBALL-MVFC HONORS
 
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (UND) – Seven North Dakota student-athletes were selected to the All-MVFC Teams, the league offices announced Monday morning. Nominations were submitted by each school’s sports information director and voting was conducted by the league’s head coaches, SID’s and select media members. Senior RB Luke Skokna was the top member from UND on an All-MVFC Team, being named a first team return specialist and an honorable mention all-purpose player. Four other Fighting Hawks were named second team selections: WR Bo Belquist, OL Donny Ventrelli, LB Wyatt Pedigo, and DB C.J. Siegel. Two additional NoDak student-athletes received honorable mention accolades: OL Easton Kilty and LB Ted Mullin.
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UND MENS BASKETBALL-HONOR
 
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (UND) – Treysen Eaglestaff was named Summit League Peak Performer of the Week by the Summit League office on Monday for the week of November 20-26. This award is the first weekly award for the sophomore guard. Eaglestaff led the Fighting Hawks in points in both games at the Central Arkansas Thanksgiving Classic, scoring 23 in the win over New Orleans and 22 in the win over Eastern Michigan. He also had a great week with assists–dishing out a career high six at Pacific on Monday and also assisted on Elijah Brooks’ game-winning dunk against New Orleans on Saturday. Over the three games he averaged 17 points per game.
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UND MENS HOCKEY-HONOR
 
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (UND) – Freshman defenseman Jake Livanavage was named the NCHC Rookie of the Week on Monday, as announced by the league office. It is the first weekly honor for Livanavage in his career. Livanavage contributed at both ends of the ice in North Dakota’s sweep of Bemidji State to extend UND’s winning streak to a nation-best seven straight. Offensively, he shined, dishing out a pair of assists, with one each night. On Friday, Livanavage handed out the primary assist on the overtime, game-winning goal scored by Jackson Blake in a 3-2, comeback victory to earn the game’s third star. The next night, the Phoenix, Ariz., native again set up Blake with a primary assist on UND’s second goal, this time on the power play, in a 5-0 victory. With the two assists, Livanavage recorded points in back-to-back games for the second time this season. Along with his two helpers, Livanavage posted a +3 plus/minus and blocked a shot against the Beavers, including helping record a shutout on Saturday. The Arizona native now has five points (1g, 4a) in 14 games this season. North Dakota hits the road for a top-3 showdown against No. 3 Denver beginning on Friday night from Magness Arena.
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VIKINGS-BEARS
 
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Chicago Bears finally won one of these up-for-grab games after all those painful finishes. Cairo Santos made a 30-yard field goal with 10 seconds left, his fourth of the night after a miss on the opening drive, and the Bears had four interceptions of Joshua Dobbs in a defense-dominated 12-10 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday. The Bears (4-8) stopped a 12-game NFC North losing streak, including six in a row against the Vikings (6-6). The Vikings, who cautiously chose to hold star wide receiver Justin Jefferson out for another game with his hamstring injury, were as helpless as ever on offense with only a field goal by Greg Joseph at the end of the first half to show for the first 54-plus minutes. Dobbs threw the go-ahead score to T.J. Hockenson with 5:54 left, but the Vikings stalled out again after that at the worst possible time. The Vikings have their bye week, followed by a visit to Las Vegas on Dec. 10.
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WILD-FIRING
 
ST. PAUL, MN (AP) – The Minnesota Wild fired coach Dean Evason and replaced him with John Hynes on Monday after losing seven straight games and 14 of their first 19 to start to the NHL season. General manager Bill Guerin announced the moves, including the firing of assistant Bob Woods. Hynes, the former New Jersey and Nashville coach, will take over. The Wild planned a news conference with Guerin and Hynes today, prior to their game against St. Louis. Evason, 59, had three full seasons in charge of the Wild, who gave him his first head coaching job in the NHL on Feb. 14, 2020, when Bruce Boudreau was fired and he was promoted from his assistant role. He went 147-77-27 in 251 regular season games and 8-15 in the postseason without winning any series. Hynes, 48, is 284-255-63 in eight NHL seasons. The Predators fired him on May 30, six weeks after missing the playoffs. They lost in the opening round in each of three previous years, starting in 2020 when he was hired midseason to replace the fired Peter Laviolette. The Devils fired Hynes about a month before he was plucked off the market by the Predators.
 
 

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K-Heart Sports – 11/22/23

K-HEART SPORTS – WEDNESDAY – 11/22/23
 

MINOT, ND – The Minot High girls hockey team began the season hosting Bismarck Century last night. Maicee Burke tallied the hat trick as in the Majettes win.
 
High School Girls Hockey
Minot High def. Bismarck Century, 4-3
Dickinson def. Williston, 2-1
Jamestown def. Bismarck High-Legacy, 5-4 OT
Fargo Davies def. Grand Forks, 3-2 OT
West Fargo United def. Devils Lake, 4-1
 

High School Boys Hockey
Mandan def. Hazen-Beulah, 5-2
Bottineau-Rugby def. Devils Lake, 5-4
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MINOT, ND – The Class B Volleyball All-State team was announced and honors were given to several area players. Lean Lindquist and Maya Vibeto of Our Redeemer’s named to the First Team. Kylie Simpson of Bottineau, Anne Stroklund of Kenmare-Bowbells, and Azjiah Trader of South Prairie-Max were also named to the First Team. Second Team honors given to Chinelo Udekwe of Bishop Ryan and Shea Barron and Savanna Filibeck of Beulah. The team is voted on by the North Dakota High School Coaches Association.
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MSU MENS BASKETBALL
 
CROOKSTON, Minn. (MSU) – Khari Broadway scored 20 points to help lead the Minot State men’s basketball team over the Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles 79-67 on the road Tuesday night in the NSIC opener for both teams. The Beavers (3-1 overall, 1-0 NSIC) had four players score in double figures, led by Broadway, who had 20 points, five assists and three steals. Connor Hollenbeck added 18 points and six rebounds and Caleb Van De Griend helped out with a double-double off the bench with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Van De Griend pulled down seven offensive rebounds to lead the Minot State offense which grabbed 19 boards and turned them into 16 second-chance points. After jumping out to an 18-17 advantage, Minot State went on an 8-0 run with 6:19 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Broadway, to increase its lead to 26-17. The Beavers then lost some of that lead, but still entered halftime with a 32-26 advantage. Minot State did most of its first-half damage in the paint, scoring 18 of its 32 points close to the basket. Minot State kept its lead intact before going on an 8-0 run, finished off by Van De Griend’s layup, to grow the lead to 58-48 with 7:38 to go in the contest. The Beavers kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 79-67 win. Minot State got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 12 of its 47 total points. The Beavers host Jamestown on Saturday at 3 pm.
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MSU WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
CROOKSTON, Minn. (MSU) – The Minot State women’s basketball team got an 18-point performance from the bench, but fell 67-54 to the Minnesota Crookston Golden Eagles on the road Tuesday in the NSIC opener for both teams. Sydney Gustavsson led the Beavers (1-6 overall, 0-1 NSIC) with 19 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Emma Mogen tacked on five points and three steals off of the bench and Cassidy King helped out with two points and four steals from the bench. Led by Gustavsson’s four offensive rebounds, Minot State did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 17 boards that resulted in 15 second-chance points. Minot State did a great job disrupting Minnesota Crookston shots in the contest, as well, coming away with five blocks. Jaime Skeggs led the way individually for the Beavers with two rejections. Minot State kept it close in the first quarter, but entered the second frame down 18-14. The Beavers continued to lose ground in the second quarter and faced a 34-26 halftime deficit. Minnesota Crookston continued to increase its lead after halftime, building a 45-30 advantage before Minot State went on an 11-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Peyton Breidenbach, to trim its deficit to 45-41 with 25 seconds to go in the third, a score which remained until the end of the third quarter. Minot State’s bench made the most of its minutes in the period as non-starters totaled seven of the team’s 15 third-quarter points. Minot State could not pull any closer in the fourth, losing by a final of 67-54. Minot State took advantage of its opportunities in the post, scoring eight of its 13 points in the paint. The Lady Beavers will play next at the University of North Dakota on Tuesday at 5 pm.
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NDSU FOOTBALL
 
FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – North Dakota State linebacker Logan Kopp and quarterback Cam Miller are among the finalists announced Tuesday for two national player of the year awards in the Football Championship Subdivision.
 
Kopp, a sophomore from St. Louis, Mo., is a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented annually to the FCS Defensive Player of the Year. Kopp leads the NDSU defense with 68 total tackles including two forced fumbles and one recovery. He is second on the team with three interceptions and four pass breakups, and ranks third on the Bison with 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
 
Miller, a senior from Solon, Iowa, is a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, which is presented annually to the FCS Offensive Player of the Year. Miller ranks second in the FCS with a .747 completion percentage and 166.5 pass efficiency rating. He is 171 of 229 passing for 2,049 yards with 14 touchdowns against four interceptions, and he is NDSU’s leading rusher with 563 yards on 100 attempts with 11 touchdowns.
 
Two NDSU players have won the awards in previous years. Defensive end Kyle Emanuel was the Buck Buchanan Award winner in 2014, and quarterback Trey Lance was the Walter Payton Award winner in 2019. North Dakota State (8-3) is scheduled to host Pioneer Football League champion Drake (8-3) in the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.
 
 

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K-Heart Sports – 11/21/23

K-HEART SPORTS – TUESDAY – 11/21/23
 

STOCKTON, Calif. (UND) – The North Dakota men’s basketball team won its third straight game Monday night, defeating Pacific 73-71 in a nail biter that was close throughout. Tsotne Tsartsidze led the Fighting Hawks with 19 points, including the go ahead layup with 21 seconds left to put UND up 72-71, and then the final point of the game on a free throw in the final seconds. Eli King and B.J. Omot each had 12 points, and Amar Kuljuhovic reached double figures for the first time as a Fighting Hawk with ten. King led the team in rebounds for the second game in a row with eight and Treysen Eaglestaff led with six assists. Omot blocked three shots and King had two of the seven UND steals.
 
Both teams started slowly offensively, but a triple from Omot gave the Fighting Hawks a 10-6 lead at the 15:24 mark of the half. From there the pendulum swung the other way with a 13-3 run by Pacific—which was halted by a 10-0 run from NoDak with a three from King and a dunk from Omot to bring the green and white within one, then a triple from Tsartsidze to go back ahead and then a layup from King to make it 23-19. The teams went back and forth in the half, and ultimately a three-point play from Amar Kuljuhovic knotted it up at 35, which is how the two teams went to intermission. Pacific came out of the locker room with the momentum in the second half, building a 50-42 lead just over five minutes into the second half. But NoDak chipped away, owning the next five minutes of the half with a 12-4 run that tied the game up at 54. An alley-oop from Elijah Brooks to Omot gave UND their first lead of the second half with 8:17 remaining. But Pacific took the lead back, going ahead 65-60 with 4:24 to go. Tsartsidze answered with a three and an Eaglestaff layup tied it at 65 with 2:39 left. Two free throws from King put the green and white back ahead 70-69 with 57 ticks left, Pacific went back ahead briefly at 71-70 before Tsartsidze finished off the game. The Fighting Hawks will head to the Natural State for the Central Arkansas Classic on Saturday, Nov. 25 and 26 to take on New Orleans University and Eastern Michigan.
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NDSU MENS BASKETBALL
 
FARGO, N.D. (NDSU) – Sophomore Lance Waddles scored a career-high 26 points to lead the North Dakota State men’s basketball team to a 101-72 victory over Wisconsin-Stout on Monday evening inside the Scheels Center. Waddles made seven of his first eight shots and finished with five three-pointers on his way to a career-best 26 points. NDSU sophomore Tajavis Miller recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Damari Wheeler-Thomas added 15 points and five assists for the Bison. NDSU improved to 4-2 on the season. The Bison shot just under 58 percent for the game, including 10-of-28 (36 percent) from beyond the arc. NDSU led by as many as 22 in the first half, using a 14-2 run late in the half to go ahead 53-31. NDSU will travel to Phoenix, Ariz., this weekend to play Grand Canyon University on Saturday.
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NDSU WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
GREELEY, Colo. (NDSU) – North Dakota State women’s basketball picked up a victory on the road Monday night defeating Northern Colorado 67-60 at Bank of Colorado Arena. Junior Abbie Draper scored a career high 19 points to lead the way for NDSU in a wire-to-wire victory. Draper, who’s previous career high was 14 as a freshman, scored 15 of NDSU’s 35 first half points and went on to score 19 overall, as she finished on 9-of-11 shooting, including a three pointer, along with a team high three steals, two rebounds and a block defensively. The Bison improved to 2-2 on the season, while Northern Colorado fell to 2-2.
 
Heaven Hamling, who was held scoreless in the first half, and freshman Abby Krzewinski, who made her first career start, joined Draper in double figures, scoring 10 points each. Hamling added three rebounds and two steals, while Krzewinski added three rebounds, a team high three assists, and a block. After NDSU won the opening tip, Krzewinski gave the Bison the lead on the opening possession. After Elle Evans forced a turnover, Draper would add a three pointer on the next possession and the Bison never trailed. Evans matched Draper with a team high three steals, Krzewinski with three assists, and also had a team high five rebounds to go along with eight points. The Bison led by as much as 10 in the first half and carried a 35-28 lead into the break. Late in the third period, Hamling made a layup to give NDSU a 14-point lead, it’s largest of the game. A 16-3 run by Northern Colorado to close the third and start the fourth cut NDSU’s lead to one at 55-54. However, the Bison outscored the Golden Bears 12-6 over the final 6:27 to secure NDSU’s first road win of the season. The Bison will now continue their road swing with the third of four-straight games away from home coming against Harvard at the San Diego Classic on Friday. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. CT.
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WOLVES-KNICKS
 
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Edwards had 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 points, and the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New York Knicks 117-100 on Monday night. Minnesota (10-3) is 6-0 at home — tying a franchise record to start a season — and has won nine of its past 10 games. That stretch included seven straight wins, the franchise’s longest streak since 2004 — which was the last year the Wolves made it past the first round of the playoffs. Rudy Gobert scored 16 points for the Wolves. Minnesota forward Jaden McDaniels left with a sprained right ankle in the first quarter and didn’t return. That opened up extended minutes for Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who finished with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists. Naz Reid added 10 points as the Wolves’ bench outscored New York’s reserves 43-30. Jalen Brunson scored 25 points and Julius Randle had 21 for New York, which shot 34.8% (32 of 92) to Minnesota’s 51.3%. The Knicks (8-6) came in allowing a league-low 104.9 points per game. The Timberwolves host Philadelphia on Wednesday.
 
 

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K-Heart Sports – 11/20/23

K-HEART SPORTS – MONDAY – 11/20/23
 

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (MSU) – A fast start wasn’t enough for the top-ranked Beavers on Sunday as a 3 ½ minute stretch changed the game. No. 11 Ohio scored three goals in 3 minutes, 30 seconds midway through the second period to turn a deficit into a lead as the Bobcats skated to a 5-2 comeback win over the No. 1 Minot State men’s hockey team in the ACHA Showcase. The Beavers (12-3-0 overall) now get Thanksgiving week off before returning to the ice with a road game Monday, Nov. 27, at 3:30 p.m. at Jamestown.
 
Things started well Sunday for Minot State as Christian Kadolph broke open the scoring with 2:37 left in the first period, finishing off assists from Logan Cyca and Walker Jerome to put the Beavers on top 1-0. Reid Arnold then pushed Minot State’s lead to 2-0, putting home a goal with 7:39 gone in the second, and things looked great for Minot State. Jay Buchholz and Sheldin Howard assisted on Arnold’s goal. But the Bobcats (10-5-2) answered with their first of the game just 2:19 later, igniting a 3 ½ minute stretch that changed the game as Ohio scored three times in that span to take the lead. One more goal, later in the second period, and a final goal in the third iced the victory for the Bobcats. Jake Anthony finished with 25 saves in goal for Minot State in the setback.
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UND WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND) – A comeback effort from the North Dakota women’s basketball team fell short Sunday against Montana State in the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Fighting Hawks surged in the third quarter but would ultimately fall 60-53 to the Bobcats.
 
It was all Bobcats to start the game, as they scored the first 12 points of the contest in the opening three minutes. Montana State shot .600 percent from the field and grabbed a 20-8 lead following the first 10 minutes. NoDak’s offensive woes continued in the second quarter and was held to 18 points in the first half. However, the UND defense began to settle in and held the Bobcats to a .313 shooting percentage in the second frame. UND ramped up its defensive pressure in the third quarter, forcing seven Montana State turnovers that translated to six points. Kacie Borowicz led the Hawks with six points in the quarter, but it was the bench unit that provided the offensive spark with 13 points. Kiyah Hurst scored five, while Nevaeh Ferrara Horne and Kiera Pemberton had four points each in the third. UND outscored Montana State 19-4 to open the third and took its first lead of the game, 37-36, following two Ferrara Horne free throws at the two-minute mark. The lead changed hands twice and the score was tied twice in the fourth quarter, but it was the Bobcats who held the lead for the final three minutes to take the 60-53 decision. Borowicz poured in 12 of the Hawks 14 points in the fourth quarter and went 4-for-5 from the free throw line. Rakiyah Beal scored the other two points for UND. The Hawks forced five turnovers in the final period, while only committing one but were unable to convert Bobcat miscues to points. Montana State controlled the boards over the final 10 minutes with 12 defensive rebounds.
 
Borowicz scored 22 points, grabbed five rebounds and had four steals to lead the Hawks. She was followed by Hurst’s seven points and nine rebounds. Sammiyah Hoskin and Pemberton were active on the offensive glass grabbing a combined seven offensive rebounds. The Fighting Hawks travel to Hattiesburg, Miss. for the Lady Eagle Thanksgiving Classic Friday and Saturday. UND faces Southern Miss on Friday at 11:00 a.m. and North Texas on Saturday at 8:00 a.m.
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FCS PLAYOFFS
 
FARGO, ND – The bracket for the FCS Playoffs was announced on Sunday. Both NDSU and UND will host games in the first round. North Dakota State (8-3) will face Pioneer Football League champion Drake (8-3, 8-0 PFL) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome. The winner advances to play No. 6 national seed Montana State (8-3, 6-2 Big Sky) in the second round Saturday, Dec. 2. UND will host Sacramento State on Saturday, Nov. 25 at Noon (CT) in the opening round, with the winner heading to No. 3 seed South Dakota the following weekend. Defending champion South Dakota State received the overall #1-seed.
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VIKINGS-BRONCOS
 
DENVER (AP) — Stymied all night by the Minnesota Vikings’ smothering defense, Russell Wilson never lost faith in his sputtering offense whose first nine drives ended with Wil Lutz kicking five field goals and Riley Dixon punting four times. Courtland Sutton’s leaping 15-yard touchdown catch with 1:03 remaining was the difference for Denver (5-5), which now owns the league’s longest winning streak at four. Danielle Hunter’s tackle of Javonte Williams on the 2-point try kept the Vikings within a point and needing a field goal by Greg Joseph in Denver’s thin air to win it. The Broncos’ defense — which produced three more takeaways, giving Denver a dozen over its last three games — didn’t allow the Vikings (6-5) to get out of their own side of the field on Minnesota’s desperation drive in the final minute, however. Denver forced Joshua Dobbs into an intentional grounding that brought up fourth-and-25 before Dobbs threw one final incompletion from the Vikings 21 with 16 seconds left. Dobbs threw for 221 yards and a touchdown and ran for another but lost with the Vikings for the first time since they acquired him in an emergency trade with Arizona. Still, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to have both a touchdown throw and a touchdown run in his first three games with a team. Wilson went 27 of 35 for 259 yards without an interception for Denver. The Vikings host Chicago next Monday.
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WILD-MAPLE LEAFS
 
STOCKHOLM (AP) – William Nylander scored at 3:09 of overtime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs extended their winning streak to four games with a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday in the final game of the NHL’s Global Series in Sweden. Nylander collected the puck, skated toward the net and fired a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury for his 12th goal of the season. He also extended his franchise-record, season-opening point streak to 17 games. Nylander had five points (two goals, three assists) in Toronto’s two games in Stockholm. Auston Matthews added a goal and an assist for Toronto. He tied Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg Jets for the league lead with 14 goals. Matthew Knies scored his fifth of the season, Morgan Rielly added a goal and two assists and Joseph Woll stopped 33 shots for Toronto. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist and defensemen Jon Merrill and Jake Middleton also scored for Minnesota, which lost its fifth straight (0-3-2). Fleury stopped 21 shots.
 
 

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K-Heart Sports – 11/19/23

K-HEART SPORTS – SUNDAY – 11/19/23
 

MINOT, ND – West Fargo Sheyenne and Northern Cass each repeated as state champs at the State Volleyball Tournament.
 
High School Girls Volleyball
Class A
 
State Tournament – Fargo Dome
7th Place
(W3) Bismarck Legacy def. (W4) Bismarck High (3-2) 25-17, 21-25, 12-25, 25-15, 15-13
5th Place
(E3) Fargo North def. (W1) Bismarck Century (3-0) 25-19, 25-22, 25-20
3rd Place
(E4) Fargo Davies def. (W2) Jamestown (3-0) 25-18, 25-22, 25-21
Championship
(E1) West Fargo Sheyenne def. (E2) Fargo Shanley (3-1) 25-14, 10-25, 25-17, 25-18
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High School Girls Volleyball
Class B
 
State Tournament – Fargo Dome
7th Place
Shiloh Christian def. Trenton (3-0) 25-14, 25-19, 25-14
5th Place
#5 LaMoure-Litchville-Marion def. New Rockford-Sheyenne (3-1) 25-13, 25-15, 19-25, 25-19
3rd Place
#3 Our Redeemer’s def. #1 Dickinson Trinity (3-2) 25-23, 20-25, 25-19, 21-25, 15-13
Championship
#4 Northern Cass def. #2 May-Port-CG (3-1) 25-23, 25-14, 21,25, 25-13
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MSU MENS HOCKEY
 
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (MSU) – The Beavers ran into a hot goalie Saturday afternoon who simply could not be beaten. UNLV’s Zach Wickson stopped all 25 shots he faced, helping the fourth-ranked Rebels pull off a 3-0 upset of the No. 1 Minot State men’s hockey team on day two of the ACHA Showcase. UNLV (12-3-0 overall) scored late in the first period of what proved to be a close contest, which stayed a 1-0 game until midway through the third period when the Rebels tacked on a pair of goals to help ice the win. Jake Anthony finished with 19 saves in goal for the Beavers (12-2-0), who wrap up the weekend playing No. 11 Ohio at noon today.
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MSU WOMENS HOCKEY
 
JAMESTOWN, N.D. (MSU) – For the first time this season, Minot State women’s hockey matched up against the No. 9 Jamestown Jimmies with hopes of getting back on track. They did so in a big way, as the No. 10 Beavers scored four goals in the first period that propelled them to a 6-1 victory over the Jimmies at Wilson arena on Saturday night. Jamestown ended the shutout streak late in the second period, but the lead was far too great, and Minot State picked up the win. The Beavers (6-9-0 overall) scored four goals in the opening frame, the first one at a minute and 26 seconds into the game. Minot State would go on to add one in the second and one in the third, with Jamestown (9-3-0) scoring once in between. Both teams will meet again at Wilson Arena at 2:00 p.m. for a Sunday matinee.
 
Paige Ackerman scored twice in the first period for the Beavers, netting her second and third goals of the year. Erica Fijala registered her first goal of the season on an assist from Gillian Gervin. Speaking of Gervin, she was the other goal scorer in that opening period who collected her third tally of the young season. Aspen Cooper and Cameron Schmidt notched two assists, along with Olivia Opheim who also racked up a helper. Makena Welby stretched the lead to five, as she also scored her first of the year. After the Jimmies got on the board once, captain Riley Ball would chip in another for good measure. Morgan Baker was stellar in net for the Beavers making 29 saves on 30 shots. The Beavers came out firing and never looked back. It was a breakout game for Minot State offensively, as they handled Jamestown convincingly scoring six goals in regulation. Minot State grabs the first win of the 2023-24 season between these two squads.
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MSU MENS BASKETBALL
 
BILLINGS, Mont. (MSU) – The Minot State men’s basketball team got a 21-point performance from the bench, but fell 82-64 to the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets on the road Saturday. The Beavers (2-1 overall) had four players score in double figures, led by Michael Jok, who had 11 points. Jaxon Gunville added 11 points and Kameron Givens chipped in as well with 10 points and two steals off of the bench. Led by Khari Broadway’s three offensive rebounds, Minot State did a great job crashing the offensive glass, pulling down 10 boards that resulted in nine second-chance points.
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MSU WOMENS BASKETBALL
 
MINOT, ND (MSU) -The Minot State women’s basketball team went into the half beating Montana State-Billings 33-31, but could not pull away in the second half and fell 79-62 to the Yellowjackets at home Saturday. The Beavers (1-5) had two players score in double figures, led by Sydney Gustavsson, who had 15 points. Taylor Goss tacked on 12 points and Jaime Skeggs added four points and seven assists. Minot State forced 17 Montana State-Billings turnovers while committing 11 themselves in Saturday’s game. The Beavers turned those takeaways into 21 points on the offensive end of the floor. Maya Aguilar led the way individually with one steal.
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MINOTAUROS-BULLS
 
MINOT, ND – The Minotauros got goals from Will Dawson, Niklas Ketonen, Joel Lehtinen and Pavol Funtek as Minot swept the two game weekend series against North Iowa with a 4-1 win on Saturday. Brady James tallied 20 saves for the Tauros as they increase their lead in the NAHL Central Division to four points over Austin.
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UND HOCKEY
 
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND) – No. 2/4 North Dakota struck four times in the first period before adding a final tally in the third to polish off a sweep over Miami with a 5-1 victory on Saturday night in front of another sellout crowd at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks. UND (9-2-1, 4-0-0 NCHC) rolled to its second straight sweep and fifth consecutive win overall, matching the longest winning streak for the team since a stretch of seven straight victories from Feb. 11 – Mar. 4, 2022. Despite forward Owen McLaughlin out of the lineup due to an illness, the top line of Riese Gaber, Jackson Blake and Louis Jamernik V did not miss a beat. The trio combined for three goals and an assist, with Gaber striking for a pair of goals to notch his 11th and 12th career goals against Miami in his career. For the 11th time this season, North Dakota jumped out to a 1-0 lead. On only its second shot of the game, Gaber collected a loose puck in the crease following a Garrett Pyke chance and potted it home to give the Fighting Hawks the early advantage just 8:27 into the opening period. Miami (4-7-1, 0-6-0 NCHC) was able to pull even just past the halfway point of the evening on a strike from PJ Fletcher, but it was the home team who seemed to take control of the momentum following the goal.
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NDSU FOOTBALL
 
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (NDSU) – Cam Miller passed for 238 yards and two touchdowns to lead ninth-ranked North Dakota State to a 48-27 victory over No. 22 Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Football Conference on Saturday, Nov. 18. Cole Wisniewski had a 75-yard interception return touchdown and made nine tackles to lead the NDSU defense, which recorded five sacks and intercepted four passes. The Bison finished the regular season 8-3 overall and 5-3 in the conference. Miller completed his first eight pass attempts and had 115 yards in the first quarter, including a 36-yard touchdown to Eli Green on fourth down to cap NDSU’s opening drive. Miller scored on a 1-yard run and hit RaJa Nelson on a 15-yard touchdown pass as NDSU opened a 21-3 lead early in the second quarter. Griffin Crosa added field goals of 34 and 37 yards to lift the Bison to a 27-10 halftime lead. Quarterback Cole Payton’s 65-yard touchdown run on his first snap of the game gave NDSU its biggest lead of the game midway through the third quarter, 34-13. Payton added a 23-yard rushing TD in the fourth quarter. Nelson had a career-high six receptions and 113 yards to lead seven Bison receivers. Linebacker Oscar Benson recorded the first two interceptions of his career, and Sam Jung got his first interception of the season. The 24-team bracket for the NCAA Division I Football Championship will be announced on an ESPNU selection show beginning at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 19. Eight first-round games will be played Saturday, Nov. 25.
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UND FOOTBALL
 
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND) – No. 13/17 North Dakota used late-game heroics to defeat Illinois State, 22-21, inside the Alerus Center on Saturday afternoon. The Fighting Hawks trailed 21-16 with under five minutes remaining but traveled 76 yards over the next 4:28 to secure the victory. NoDak (7-4, 5-3 MVFC) trailed 21-16 with 4:53 remaining and went to work right away from its own 24. On the second play of the drive, Bo Belquist had a highlight-reel worthy play, toe-touching the sideline to secure a catch at the UND 41. Later in the drive with 1:11 remaining, Tommy Schuster found Belquist again for a 17-yard reception and then Jack Wright for a 15-yard grab that put the ball all the way down to the ISU 12 with under a minute to go. On the next play, Schuster scrambled and made it 11 yards all the way down to the ISU 1 to give the Fighting Hawks four chances to score with under 30 seconds remaining. Gaven Ziebarth powered ahead on the next play to put UND up 22-21 with 25 seconds left. The Hawks then attempted a two-point conversion that was unsuccessful. Illinois State (6-5, 4-4 MVFC) had a chance to reclaim the lead late and made it down to the ISU 40 but C.J. Siegel secured the victory for UND with a fumble recovery at the end when the Redbirds were trying to lateral the ball.
 
In the win, North Dakota put up 338 yards of offense with 169 yards both rushing and passing. Illinois State had 466 yards of
offense with 241 yards through the air and 225 yards on the ground. The Redbirds ate up over 31 minutes of clock in the game. Schuster went 14-for-22 for 169 yards passing and a score. He also had three rushes for 22 yards, highlighted by his 11-yard rush on the final drive. Belquist was his top receiving target with eight catches for 72 yards. Ziebarth paced NoDak on the ground with 16 carries for 74 yards and two scores, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Isaiah Smith also saw time in the backfield and had 45 yards on 12 carries. Malachi McNeal led the defense with nine tackles and one tackle-for-loss. Nineteen other Fighting Hawks recorded at least one tackle in the win, while Dylan Boecker also had a TFL.
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TIMBERWOLVES-PELICANS
 
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns capped a 29-point performance with a running floater off the glass with 5 seconds left, and the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 14-point deficit in the final 7:32 to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 121-120 on Saturday night. Anthony Edwards scored 23 points before fouling out with 10 seconds left while guarding Brandon Ingram along the perimeter. But Ingram missed one of his two free throws, allowing Towns to put Minnesota in front from close range. The Pelicans still had a shot to win it as time ran out, but Ingram, who had a game-high-30 points, missed a mid-range jumper. Towns scored 12 in the fourth quarter, including a 3 that gave Minnesota its first lead of the second half at 119-117. Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the T-Wolves. Jaden McDaniels added 12 points. Jonas Valanciunas had 26 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans, who played without Zion Williamson. Williamson was being rested on what was the second of three games in four nights.
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WILD-MAPLE LEAFS
 
STOCKHOLM (AP) — William Nylander scored at 3:09 of overtime, and the Toronto Maple Leafs extended their winning streak to four with a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday in the final game of the NHL’s Global Series in Sweden. Nylander collected the puck, skated toward the net and fired a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury for his 12th goal of the season. He also extended his franchise-record season-opening point streak to 17 games. Nylander had five points (two goals, three assists) in Toronto’s two games in Stockholm. Auston Matthews added a goal and an assist for Toronto. He tied Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg Jets for the league lead with 14 goals. Matthew Knies scored his fifth of the season, Morgan Rielly added a goal and two assists and Joseph Woll stopped 33 shots for Toronto, which was playing outside North America for the first time in its more than 100-year history. Mitch Marner had two assists for the Maple Leafs to surpass 400 for his career. Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist and defensemen Jon Merrill and Jake Middleton also scored for Minnesota, which lost its fifth straight (0-3-2). Fleury stopped 21 shots. This was the 10th season the NHL has played in Europe with a total of 36 regular-season games on the continent (16 in Stockholm) to connect with hockey-mad fans in Scandinavia and elsewhere. The Wild host the Colorado Avalanche on Friday.
 
 

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