Summit League Action Posing New Challenges for UND

The Fighting Hawks are 1-2 in Summit League play

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — UND men’s basketball is now a few conference games into its inaugural season as a member of the Summit League.

The unit earned a big win on the road against Denver on Saturday, and now they return home for four of their next five games.

Head coach Brian Jones says playing in the Summit has been an adjustment.

He argues that the players are bigger and more physical than those in the Big Sky Conference, and the level of competition is raised.

“You’d have a couple teams in the Big Sky where you could play just average or have an off night offensively especially and still find ways to win,” Jones said. “That’s not happening in the Summit League. The teams are too good, one, and they’re too high-level offensively, so we have to be able to defend. But, we’ve got to care of home. I think if you ever want to compete, it’s hard to give – then you’re always putting yourself in a situation where you’ve got to find ways to win on the road, and that is tough.”

UND hosts Omaha Thursday night at 7:05.