It was a tough night for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks as they suffered a stinging defeat to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 75-58, in the opening game of the Western Illinois multi-team event (MTE) on Saturday. This loss drops the Hawks to a 2-5 record, while the Chanticleers soar to 4-2. But here's where it gets interesting: despite a strong start, the Hawks couldn't maintain their momentum, leaving fans wondering what could have been.
The game began with promise for North Dakota, as they jumped to an early 6-0 lead, thanks to back-to-back three-pointers from Greyson Uelmen and Garrett Anderson. The Chanticleers quickly responded with a 7-0 run, setting the stage for a back-and-forth battle. The Hawks briefly regained control with an 8-2 run, capped by an Anthony Smith III three-pointer, putting them up 14-9. However, this is the part most people miss: a devastating 8:21 scoring drought from the 14:10 mark allowed Coastal Carolina to seize the initiative with a 12-0 run, taking an eight-point lead they would never relinquish.
Uelmen and Eli King led the Hawks' scoring efforts with 13 and 12 points, respectively, combining for 25 of the team's 58 points. King also pulled down a season-high nine rebounds, while Marley Curtis dominated the boards with a career-high 10 rebounds. But here's the controversial part: despite attempting a season-high 34 free throws, the Hawks only converted 64.7% of them, leaving crucial points on the table. Was this a matter of fatigue, pressure, or simply an off night? We’ll let you decide.
Coastal Carolina's efficiency from the field (46.7%) contrasted sharply with North Dakota's struggles (24.6%), particularly from beyond the arc, where the Hawks shot a dismal 4-for-26. AJ Dancler of the Chanticleers stole the show with a game-high 31 points, the most any player has scored against UND this season. And this raises a thought-provoking question: how can the Hawks improve their defensive strategy to limit high-scoring opponents like Dancler?
The second half saw the Chanticleers extend their lead with an 11-2 run, pushing the score to 52-32. Although the Hawks mounted a brief comeback, cutting the deficit to 11 points with a 10-0 run, they couldn't sustain the momentum. The game concluded with a final score of 75-58, leaving North Dakota with plenty to reflect on.
Postgame Highlights:
- UND falls to 0-1 all-time against Coastal Carolina.
- Uelmen continued his streak with his fifth consecutive double-digit scoring performance.
- King's nine rebounds marked a season-high.
- Curtis' 10 rebounds were the first double-digit rebounding effort by a UND player this season.
- The Hawks' three-point shooting woes persisted, going 0-for-10 in the second half.
- Coastal Carolina's AJ Dancler set a new high for points scored against UND this season.
How It Unfolded:
First Half
15:38 UND 10, CCU 7
10:31 CCU 19, UND 15
7:49 CCU 23, UND 17
3:39 CCU 34, UND 26
Halftime: CCU 41, UND 30
Second Half
15:50 CCU 52, UND 33
11:24 CCU 58, UND 37
7:26 CCU 63, UND 47
2:46 CCU 69, UND 51
Final: CCU 75, UND 58
Looking ahead, the Hawks will face Western Illinois tomorrow at 6 p.m. in Western Hall. Fans can catch the action on ESPN+ or tune in to 100.3 The Cat. What do you think? Can the Hawks bounce back, or will they continue to struggle? Let us know in the comments below!
For more updates on North Dakota men's basketball, visit FightingHawks.com or follow @UNDmbasketball on social media. -- UND --
