GRAND FORKS, N.D. – North Dakota men’s basketball used career nights from sophomores Mier Panoam and George Natsvishvili as well as the double-figure scoring efforts of three other Fighting Hawks and UND outlasted Weber State down the stretch to earn an 80-75 win in a thrilling Big Sky-Summit Challenge affair on Saturday night from inside the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

Panoam’s ability to drive and finish inside was a consistent problem for the Wildcats as was Natsvishvili who registered the first double-double of his career as he sparked the Hawks off of the bench. The pair of first-year Hawks provided multiple big plays for UND in both halves, but each delivered late in the second half.

A three from the top of the key by junior guard Eli King, his third of the night, with just over ten to play in addition to a baseline drive and bucket from junior guard Treysen Eaglestaff with just over eight remaining kept the Hawks out front by a possession before the surging Wildcats pulled to within a point at 58-57 with 8:04 remaining.

Natsvishvili and Panoam combined for 10 of UND’s 11 points over the next 4:30 of play as UND clung to a 68-66 lead at the 4:08 mark of the second half. Both of Natsvishvili’s buckets were second-chance opportunities and each extended a one-point UND lead to three, while Panoam took the fight inside with three paint buckets including an and-one that broke a 60-60 tie and an off-balance finish following an offensive board that put the Hawks up six at 68-62.

Following the under-4 media timeout, Eaglestaff hit a pair of free throws to put UND up 70-66, but the Wildcats answered with two free throws and a go-ahead three-pointer from Viljami Vartianinen that pushed the visitors up 71-70. Two free throws from Panoam put the Hawks back on top at 72-71 and again at 74-73, but the Wildcats grabbed the lead again with sixty seconds to go. However, Panoam saved his most impressive drive for the end as he challenged WSU inside finishing through contact with a right hand off the glass.

The Hawks finished 4-of-6 from the free throw line in the final twenty seconds and forced the Wildcats into a late backcourt violation and an errant midcourt pass that ended up out-of-bounds near the timeline with less than five seconds remaining.

North Dakota controlled the glass and the paint production in the opening twenty minutes finishing +7 in rebounding which was highlighted by ten offensive rebounds to just a single second-chance board for Weber State. Two dozen of UND’s 36 first-half points were produced inside as the Hawks led by five at the intermission.

Natsvishvili delivered six of UND’s ten points from non-starters in the first half in addition to grabbing seven rebounds with four on the offensive end; both marks in points and rebounds were career-highs for the first-year Hawk in the first half.

North Dakota heads back out on the road for a Wednesday, December 11 matchup with Utah Valley. It will be the second meeting this season between the two squads with the Fighting Hawks claiming a back-and-forth 77-71 decision on November 14 inside the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. Tip-off in Orum is set for 7 p.m. It will be the 10th meeting all-time between the two programs with the Wolverines holding a 5-4 series lead.

Fans can follow the action live with Fighting Hawks men’s basketball radio play-by-play voice Paul Ralston on KSNR 100.3 FM The Cat or on the iHeart Radio app. The action can be seen on ESPN+ and live stats for the contest will be available at www.FightingHawks.com.

Postgame Notes

  • The win snaps a three-game losing streak and improves UND’s overall record to 4-5
  • It is the sixth win all-time for the Hawks against Weber State and the 36th home win for UND under Sather
  • The win is the first in four tries for the Hawks over two seasons in the Big Sky-Summit Challenge
  • The victory gives the Hawks a 2-0 start at home against DI opponents for the first time under Sather
  • UND finished +12 in rebounding and grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, the second-most in a game this season, to finish +14 in the category
  • It was the Hawks’ fourth game with 40 or more rebounds this season
  • UND shot 43.8% from the floor which marked the fifth time this season that the Hawks have shot better than 43% overall
  • North Dakota made a season-low four three pointers, with three coming from King, at a season-low 21.1%
  • The Hawks made 20 free throws for the second time this season and for the second time in as many home games; UND finished 10-for-14 from the line in the final five minutes of the game and moved to 33-for-44 from the stripe in the final five minutes of a single-digit game this season
  • North Dakota reached 80 points for the third time this season and has scored 80 points in consecutive games against non-conference DI opponents for the first time under Sather
  • Five Hawks finished in double figures for the first time since February 1 of last season
  • Natsvishvili finished with career-highs in points (12), rebounds (10), field goals made (6), field goal attempts (11) and minutes played (24); he had seven points, and 11 rebounds combined in his first seven games this season
  • Panoam’s career-high 22 points, his eighth game this season in double-figure scoring, came on 7-of-15 shooting and an 8-for-10 effort from the free-throw line
  • Panoam added six rebounds, his seventh game this season with five or more, and led UND with a season-high four assists
  • Panoam matched his season-high in made field goals (7) and set new season-highs in field goal attempts (15), free throws made (8) and free throw attempts (10)
  • King added a season-high 13 points with two rebounds, two steals and an assist
  • Senior forward Amar Kuljuhovic scored a dozen points for the third-straight game and added eight rebounds and two assists
  • Eaglestaff scored 12 points with three rebounds, two assists and two steals