KHRT SPORTS – SATURDAY – 03/23/24
MINOT, ND – A week of basketball awards was highlighted by the revealing of North Dakota Miss and Mr Basketball on Friday. The award goes to the top senior players in the state and is voted on by the members of the North Dakota AP Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. Jocelyn Schiller of Grand Forks Red River won Miss Basketball while Deng Deng of Four Winds-Minnewaukan won Mr. Basketball.
Jocelyn Schiller, 5’7 guard, Grand Forks Red River – 26.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 6.2 apg, 5.5 spg, 44.1% FG, 76.2% FT
Deng Deng, 6’4 forward, Four Winds-Minnewaukan – 27.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.3 apg, 3.0 spg, 2.0 bpg, 56% FG, 26% 3FG, 68% FT
—————————————————
MINOT STATE SOFTBALL
SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (MSU) – A month away from the diamond only ignited a fire in the Minot State softball team. In their first at-bats since February 24, the Beavers (7-7 overall, 2-0 NSIC) erupted for five runs en route to a 6-2 win over host Sioux Falls in a neutral-site NSIC doubleheader. The Beavers then finished the sweep as Gabi Dawyduk threw a one-hit shutout for an 8-0 win in 6 innings as Minot State opened NSIC action with the sweep on the campus of Dordt University. Minot State is back in action today in another NSIC doubleheader, playing against host Wayne State at 8 p.m., once again on the Dordt campus.
GAME 1 | Minot State 6, Sioux Falls 2
The Minot State Beavers took a 5-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed from there on the way to a 6-2 victory against the Sioux Falls Cougars on Friday. Junior Reegan Floyd (2-2) got the win for Minot State. The right-hander went seven innings, giving up two runs, both of them earned, on seven hits, allowing four walks and striking out four. In the batter’s box, the Beavers were led by junior Abby Lohse, who went 2-for-4 on the day with two RBI. Junior Hannah Murray furnished a standout performance at the dish as well, going 2-for-4 with two RBI. Senior Lauryn DeGuzman also chipped in for Minot State, putting together one hit in two trips to the plate while adding a walk and an RBI. The Beavers got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with two runs in the top of the first inning on a Lohse two-run single. Minot State’s offense started clicking and put up five runs, including a two-run single from Murray. The Beavers then lost some of their lead, but expanded on their advantage in the fourth inning after the Cougars cut it to 5-2. Lohse came across to score the lone run of the inning for Minot State, which brought the score to 6-2 in favor of the Beavers. The score remained 6-2 for the rest of the game, as Minot State coasted to the win.
GAME 2 | Minot State 8, Sioux Falls 0, 6 innings
Senior Gabi Dawyduk was dealing on Friday, tossing a one-hit shutout to lead the Minot State Beavers past the Sioux Falls Cougars 8-0 in 6 innings. Dawyduk (2-3) went the distance for Minot State, giving up one hit, walking one and striking out three. At the plate, the Beavers were led by senior Taryn Bennett, who went 2-for-3 on the day with a double, a walk and three RBI. Sophomore Anna LaCount put together a standout effort as well, going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and three RBI. Senior Brooklyn Morrison also chipped in for Minot State, putting together two hits in three trips to the plate while adding a double and a walk. The Beavers took the lead for good in the third, scoring for the first time in the inning. Bennett’s bases-clearing double put all three runs on the board in the inning for Minot State. The Beavers then tacked on runs in the fourth and sixth innings, with their biggest output coming in the fourth when they scored four times. The big hit in that inning was a three-run double off the bat of LaCount.
————————————————
MINOT STATE BASEBALL
SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (MSU) – Minot State got contributions from every part of their lineup as all nine starters reached base safely, helping the Beavers put 10 runs on the board and beat the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs 10-5 on Friday in the finale of their NSIC series. The teams were originally scheduled to play a doubleheader but bad weather forced the cancellation of the second game. Junior Gage Eastlick (1-1) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Minot State (8-13 overall, 5-6 NSIC). The right-hander went 1.2 shutout innings while giving up one hit, allowing no walks and striking out one. Junior Hayden Bode also made an impact on the mound for the Beavers, throwing one shutout inning while allowing no hits, with one walk and two strikeouts. Trailing 1-0, the Beavers first put runs on the board in the third inning. Minot State got an RBI single from junior Brian Parry, scoring sophomore Colton Bagshaw from third base. The score stayed at 1-1 until the very next inning when the Beavers put runs on the scoreboard once again. The Minot State offense exploded for five runs, highlighted by a one-run single off the bat of junior Grant Gabbert, which brought the Beavers lead to 6-1. Southwest Minnesota State narrowed Minot State’s lead to 6-4 before the Beavers stretched the advantage to 8-4 in the sixth inning. The Beavers added two runs off of Southwest Minnesota State pitching, punctuated by a run-scoring double off the bat of Gabbert. Minot State kept the Mustangs scoreless before building on their lead in the eighth inning. Parry crossed home plate with the lone run of the inning for the Beavers, bringing the score to 9-4 in favor of Minot State. Southwest Minnesota State got within 9-5 until the Beavers scored again in the ninth inning to stretch their lead to 10-5. Minot State scored once on an RBI single off the bat of sophomore Noah Madas. The score remained 10-5 for the rest of the game, as the Beavers coasted to the win.
————————————————-
————————————————-
UND HOCKEY
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Top-seeded North Dakota dropped a 6-3 decision to No. 5 Omaha in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Semifinal on Friday afternoon from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. Despite the loss, North Dakota (26-11-2) will advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 35th time in program history beginning next week. The Fighting Hawks will learn their seed, matchup and location as part of the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday evening at 5:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPNU and ESPN+. Denver defeated St. Cloud State in the other Semifinal 5-4 in overtime. Omaha and Denver play tonight in the NCHC Championship at 7:38 pm.
Omaha’s (23-11-4) Zach Urdahl struck for three goals and an assist while fellow forward Jesse Landell dished out a trio of helpers to help the Mavericks record their third straight win over NoDak and cement themselves in the national tournament. Jackson Blake notched yet another multi-point game for the green and white, recording a pair of assists to eclipse the century mark in career points. He becomes the first sophomore at UND to reach the 100-point mark since Zach Parise in 2003-04, the 26th player in program history to reach the milestone in less than 100 games and the sixth-fastest in UND history at just 78 contests. North Dakota got off to the start it wanted, striking just 78 seconds into the game when Jackson Kunz potted his eighth goal of the season on a loose puck in the crease to quickly put the green and white in front, 1-0. The Hawks nearly doubled the advantage while shorthanded, but Dylan James was stopped on a 2-on-1 chance late in the stanza. Just a few seconds after the James chance and as the power play was winding down, Omaha knotted the game at 1-1 on Urdahl’s first of the night to send the game into the first intermission tied. Blake nearly gave UND the lead right out of the gate to start the second period, but his breakaway attempt hit the post after a great move to keep the game tied at 1-1. Omaha took advantage of a pair of chances, grabbing a 3-1 lead with a pair of goals in the middle stanza. Hunter Johannes brought the Hawks within a goal in the dying seconds of the second period, finishing off a rebound from a Logan Britt shot to cut the deficit to 3-2 after 40 minutes. The Mavericks restored the two-goal lead early in the third, with the puck squirting through goaltender Hobie Hedquist and in despite the whistle blowing prior to the puck entering the net just 1:18 into the third period. NoDak answered back again to cut it one on Jake Livanavage’s snipe on the power play with just over 10 minutes to play in regulation, but a pair of goals over the next five minutes by the Mavs sealed the 6-3 victory.
————————————————-
MINOTAUROS
MINOT, ND – Colby Woogk scored in the second period to tie the game at 1-1 and Nicholas Sewecke tallied an early third period goal as the Minot Minotauros defeated the Bruins in Austin, 2-1 on Friday. Brady James made 20 saves on 21 shots and Lukas Swedin stopped both shots he the pair combine to get the win for Minot. Fifteen penalties were whistled totalling 80 minutes in the box. Minot had eight for 50 minutes and Austin seven for 30 minutes. Same two teams play again tonight in Austin.
————————————————
WOLVES-CAVS
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Mike Conley scored 21 points and fan favorite Naz Reid added 18 points on his beach towel giveaway night, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-91 on Friday. Anthony Edwards had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Rudy Gobert grabbed 15 rebounds and Jaden McDaniels added 15 points, three steals and two blocks for the Timberwolves (48-22), who shot 52% from 3-point range (14 for 27) and kept pace with first-place Oklahoma City (49-20) in the Western Conference playoff race after the Thunder won at Toronto. The Wolves are third, one game behind Denver (49-21). They matched their best 70-game record in franchise history and already have their most wins in 20 seasons. Darius Garland led the Cavaliers with 19 points, Caris LeVert added 16 and Jarrett Allen had his 35th double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds, but banged-up Cleveland lost for the fifth time in seven games. The Cavs played without All-Star Donovan Mitchell for the third straight game because of a broken nose. Reid exited the concussion protocol after missing the last game and moved into the starting lineup with immediate success. Gobert was back, too, after a rib injury sidelined him for the three previous games. The role players did the bulk of the dirty and glamorous work for the Wolves on this night, playing again without All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns as he sat on the bench with a wide smile and backward baseball cap in his eighth consecutive absence recovering from a torn meniscus in his left knee. The Wolves put on 3-point shooting show in the first half in honor of their absent ace, hitting seven of their first 11 tries with a career high-tying four makes by Jordan McLaughlin. The Timberwolves host Golden State on Sunday night.