November 27, 2004

Men’s Cagers Fall in Overtime

Depleted Lopers Push Sioux

            Kearney, Neb. – A fade way jumper by senior Will Taukiuvea fell short with three seconds left in overtime to help the North Dakota Sioux claim a 78-76 win over Nebraska-Kearney Saturday night in Grand Forks, N.D.

            UND, playing its third game in four night, improves to 6-2 on the year while UNK, after a nearly two week layoff, falls to 0-2 on the young season.

            Playing its last game without starters Marty Levinson and Dusty Jura due to NCAA suspensions, the Lopers rallied from a 17-point second half deficit to force overtime against one of the favorites to win the North Central Conference

            Trailing 77-76 with just over 20 seconds to go, UNK forced a turnover to get the ball back. Some tough Sioux defense forced Taukiuvea (15 points, four assists) into a tough shot and then UND claimed the rebound and hit one of two free throws to seal the deal.

            UND scored all four of its overtime points at the line while Taukiuvea hit a lay up with 2:27 to go to score the Lopers points for the extra session.

            UNK forced overtime when Litchfield junior Matt Kucera (eight points, six rebounds) hit a three-pointer with 23 seconds left that tied the game at 74.

            UND had a chance to win it in regulation but UNK’s tough defense didn’t allow the Sioux to get a shot off.

            Center Todd Rypkema, standing 6-11, led UND with 23 points and 12 rebounds. He sunk 10 of 12 shots from the field while also having five assists and two blocks.

            Also for UND, Keith Parks tossed in 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting from the floor. He was 3 of 4 from the three point line and two off his triples got UND out to a 55-38 lead six minutes into the second half. 

            California junior Chris Dean (20 points, 12 rebounds) had his second straight double double before fouling out with just over four minutes to go in regulation.

            Despite his absence, UNK out rebounded the much taller Sioux, 40-39.

            Sophomore forward Chad Burger (Colo. Springs, Colo.) had 18 points, 16 coming after halftime, and four rebounds while Ogallala true freshman Nick Morrell had seven points and four rebounds off the bench.  

            This duo helped erase a 69-66 UND lead with just over two minutes to go. Burger got UNK within one on a layup and then Morrell hit a jumper to give UNK its first lead of the night, 70-69, with 2:03 to play.

            Both teams struggled at the line, UNK going 14 of 21 and UND making 14 of 22 free shots. The two teams also combined to shoot 10 of 34 from the three-point line.

            UNK travles to Wayne State Tuesday night for another big North Central region game.