NDSU’s Season Ends in NCAA Tournament
PHOTO/BEN COHEN
BUFFALO, N.Y. (NDSU ATHLETICS/KVRR)– The No. 3-seeded Michigan State Spartans defeated No. 14 seed North Dakota State 92-67 on Thursday evening at KeyBank Center in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Bison conclude their season with a record of 27-8, establishing a new school record for wins.
NDSU head coach David Richman said the experience of returning to the NCAA Tournament is an important step for the program.
“We’re extremely proud,” Richman said. “This group validated a process. What this program is about, the process that we’re going to attack every day, we’re capable of doing things like this. But I also have aspirations of leading this group beyond this and winning a game, winning multiple games in the NCAA Tournament.”
Damari Wheeler-Thomas led the Bison with 16 points, all coming in the second half as North Dakota State showed more rhythm offensively after halftime. Trevian Carson finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists for NDSU.
Wheeler-Thomas said the team settled in more during the final 20 minutes.
“Really it was the same thing as the first half. I just got more in a little flow through the second half,” Wheeler-Thomas said. “I wish we started out like that. But we picked it up and we had fight in the second half, and that’s what we needed from the jump.”
Michigan State shot 59 percent for the game and 50 percent from three point range, finishing 10 for 20 beyond the arc. The Bison shot 44 percent overall and struggled from deep, going 6 for 25 from three point range compared to the Spartans’ efficiency from the perimeter.
Richman said the shooting difference was not the biggest factor in the outcome.
“They played a really good ballclub that’s extremely well coached,” Richman said. “There are some size and physicality and athleticism things that we don’t see on a regular basis that are really hard to simulate. Shooting is one part of the game. It wasn’t the part that cost us. It would have been nicer to make some shots, absolutely.”
NDSU trailed 25-18 with 7:30 left in the first half when Michigan State used a 10-0 run to create separation and take a 35-18 lead. The Spartans went into halftime ahead 45-25 and continued to maintain control throughout the second half.
The Bison were able to trim the deficit to 16 points at 77-61 with 4:15 remaining, but they would not get any closer the rest of the way.
Richman said the physical presence of a high major program like Michigan State was noticeable in person.
“Yeah, it’s different. You can see it on tape and you try to simulate it with your scout team, but it’s different,” Richman said. “Their speed, their physicality, their length, it’s a challenge. The more we saw it, especially in the second half, the more comfortable you get. But in a one off like this, it just happens too quick.”
North Dakota State swept the Summit League regular season and tournament titles this season to earn its sixth bid to the NCAA Tournament and its first appearance since 2019.
