2-0 in Mon-Dak Play

We played host to the Thunderbirds of United Tribes Technical College on Monday evening. It was a game similar to the first conference game against Bismarck State that saw us jump out early, get a big lead in the 2nd half only to let them back in. In the end we did pick up the 106-96 win to improve to 16-4 and 2-0 in Mon-Dak play.

At the half it was 58-45. The first half was a game of runs, with the score 16-15 Jacks, we were able to go on a quick 7-0 run to expand it to 23-15 with 12:49 to go. It would grow to as much as nine, 26-17 with 11:13 to go before a 13-2 UTTC run over would give the T-Birds a 30-28 advantage with 8:48 to go. The teams would go back and forth with DCB getting the advantage late on the way to the 13 point halftime lead. For the half we shot 56% from the field and 5-9 from three. UTTC hit 37% overall and 7-15 from three.

In the second half, a Brian Egejuru three on our first possession after a stop upped the lead to the biggest of the game at 61-45. However UTTC would use a 9-0 run over 3:30 to cut the lead to 61-54 with 16:17 to go. They would continue to cut away until it was just a 3 point advantage at 71-68 with 13:04 remaining. A quick 7-0 spurt capped by a Kenric Twine three point play would up the advantage to 78-68. The lead would be between 10 and 14 the rest of the game. For the game the Jacks shot 52% overall and hit 8-19 (42%) from three. However we only hit six of ten from the line, and gave up 17 offensive rebounds.

Leading the way was Egejuru with 25 points and seven assists. Twine added 17 points and eight rebounds, while Malik Jones just missed his second triple double of the year with 12 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, as well as four steals.

We are next in action when we travel to Williston for a key early season matchup with the Tetons. Right now they stand 1-0 in conference play while we are 2-0. The winner of the game will have the outright lead in this early Mon-Dak season.