Shahid Nets Career High 31 In NDSU Win

North Dakota State avenged a previous loss to Oral Roberts last month

FARGO, N.D. – Vinnie Shahid scored a career-high 31 points to lead the North Dakota State men’s basketball team to an 83-76 victory over Oral Roberts on Saturday afternoon inside the Scheels Center. The Bison extended their win streak to five games.

Shahid, a senior guard from Minneapolis, finished 8-of-14 shooting and a perfect 9-of-9 at the free throw line. He hit six three-pointers – all in the first half.

NDSU improved to 18-7 overall and 9-2 in league play to remain atop The Summit League, matching its best conference start through 11 games since the 2014-15 season.

Oral Roberts started hot, racing out to a 30-20 lead in the game’s first 12 minutes. NDSU responded with an explosive 22-1 run to pull ahead 42-31 with two minutes remaining in the first half, and the Bison never trailed again. Sophomore Sam Griesel scored 10 points for NDSU in the run.

ORU closed the gap to seven at 64-57 with seven minutes remaining, but the Bison strung together a quick 6-0 run in the next minute with four Shahid free throws and a layup from Rocky Kreuser to make it 70-57.

When ORU cut the margin to five at 70-65 with three minutes left, Griesel answered with a three-point play.

NDSU shot 53 percent overall and made 21-of-25 (84 percent) at the free throw line. It was the third time in the five-game win streak that the Bison shot better than 50 percent for a game.

Kreuser finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Griesel added a season-high 13 points and six boards. Tyson Ward registered 12 points, six rebounds and tied a season-high with six assists.

Oral Roberts senior guard Deondre Burns led the Golden Eagles with 26 points.

NDSU hosts Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m.

Courtesy: NDSU Athletics