HBU Rolls to 75-65 Win over North Dakota

Gonzalez posts second double-double of the season in win

Junior Andrew Gonzalez (Photo by Anthony Vasser)

HOUSTON, Texas – HBU took the lead in the first minute of the game and never looked back as the Huskies picked up Great West win number three with a 75-65 victory over visiting North Dakota in Sharp Gym on Saturday evening.

Travis Bledsoe gave the Fighting Sioux a 2-0 lead but Andrew Gonzalez answered with a three-point play to put the Huskies ahead 3-2.  Within six minutes, HBU held a 14-5 advantage.  North Dakota fought back and used a seven-point burst to pull within three with 11:35 left in the first half.  The Huskies pushed their lead as high as 14 in the first half after a Ben Daniels three, a steal from Michael Moss and Moss hitting one of two ensuing free throws.  UND closed the half by scoring the last five points and trailed at the half, 41-32.

HBU came out firing on all cylinders in the second half, scoring the first 15 points in the half with six of them coming from freshman Miles Dixon.  North Dakota started chipping away and went on a 20-5 run to get back within nine with just six minutes remaining in the game.  The Huskies tightened up the rest of the way and held at least a nine point lead the rest of the way.  HBU’s largest lead of the game was 24.

Gonzalez led the Huskies in scoring for the ninth time this season, finishing with 24 points.  The junior also posted his second double-double of the season thanks to a career-high 13 rebounds.  Gonzalez was 5-16 from the floor but knocked down 13-14 from the foul line.

Dixon set new career marks in points (17) and rebounds (6) in 34 minutes on the floor.  Senior Wendell Preadom added 15 points for the Huskies while adding five steals and four rebounds.  Moss had a strong game with nine rebounds, six points, six assists and five steals.

The Huskies out-rebounded the Fighting Sioux, 47-35 and held a 15-18 advantage in turnovers.  HBU shot 38.2 percent (21-55) from the floor and just 26.3 percent (5-19) from three.  The Fighting Sioux were 40.7 percent (24-59) for the game and shot 29.2 percent (7-24) from behind the arc.  The Huskies made up for being out-shot by connecting on 28-40 (70 percent) at the foul line.

HBU improves to 4-16 (3-1 GWC) and remains just a half game out of first place in the conference.  North Dakota drops to 4-17 (2-3 GWC).

The Huskies will begin a stretch of four games on the road this Thursday, February 4 at 7:30 pm against Chicago State.