North Dakota Fighting Hawks Stun South Dakota Coyotes 72-71 Behind Greyson Uelmen's 24 Points

The North Dakota Fighting Hawks pulled off a stunning 72-71 upset over the South Dakota Coyotes, with Greyson Uelmen scoring 24 points to lead his team to victory. This win was a significant upset, as South Dakota was predicted to win by 6.5 points, according to the CHD Scout model. North Dakota's record improves to 15-13, while South Dakota falls to 14-13. The Fighting Hawks trailed by 11 points at halftime, 37-26, but managed to outscore the Coyotes 46-34 in the second half to secure the win.

The South Dakota Coyotes got off to a strong start, leading 37-26 at halftime, with Cameron Fens scoring 12 of his 22 points in the first half. However, the North Dakota Fighting Hawks came out strong in the second half, outscoring the Coyotes 46-34, with Uelmen scoring 18 of his 24 points in the second half. The Coyotes' Vince Buzelis added 17 points, while Jordan Crawford contributed 12 points and 5 assists. The Fighting Hawks' Reggie Thomas and Eli King chipped in with 10 and 9 points, respectively. The game was closely contested, with the margin never exceeding 11 points, and the Coyotes ultimately falling short by just 1 point.

The top performers for the South Dakota Coyotes were Cameron Fens, who scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Vince Buzelis, who added 17 points and 5 rebounds. Jordan Crawford also had a solid game, scoring 12 points and dishing out 5 assists. For the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, Greyson Uelmen was the standout player, scoring 24 points to lead his team to victory. Reggie Thomas and Eli King also made significant contributions, scoring 10 and 9 points, respectively, with King adding 5 rebounds.

The North Dakota Fighting Hawks outscored the South Dakota Coyotes 46-34 in the second half, with Uelmen scoring 18 of his 24 points in the final 20 minutes. The Coyotes shot 45.5% from the field, while the Fighting Hawks shot 43.1%. The rebounding margin was nearly even, with the Coyotes grabbing 37 rebounds to the Fighting Hawks' 36. The Coyotes committed 12 turnovers, while the Fighting Hawks had 11. The Fighting Hawks made 7 three-pointers, while the Coyotes made 6.

The CHD Scout model predicted a South Dakota win by 6.5 points, with a predicted score of 83-76. However, the actual result was a 72-71 North Dakota win, making the model incorrect. The model failed to account for the Fighting Hawks' strong second-half performance, which ultimately led to their victory. The model's predicted margin was off by 7.5 points, highlighting the unpredictability of this matchup.

This win was a significant Quadrant 4 victory for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, who improved their record to 15-13. The loss was also a Quadrant 4 defeat for the South Dakota Coyotes, who fell to 14-13. The Fighting Hawks' NET ranking of 275 will likely improve, while the Coyotes' ranking of 268 may drop. This game had real consequences for both teams' tournament resumes, with the Fighting Hawks gaining a much-needed win and the Coyotes suffering a disappointing loss.

The North Dakota Fighting Hawks want to build on this momentum in their next game, while the South Dakota Coyotes will aim to bounce back from this tough loss. The Fighting Hawks' next game is scheduled for February 15, while the Coyotes will play again on February 18.