The Herd went toe-to-toe with the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks last night in an exciting preseason contest, holding a 43–40 lead at halftime before falling 96–85.
Despite missing key backcourt contributors — Mason Kraus (rested after arriving late from Paraguay the night before), Tito Obasoto (injury), Titus Heron (Injury), and Manyang Tong (personal), the Bisons moved the ball well and showed poise against UND’s pressure with confidence for much of the night.
Guard depth proved to be the deciding factor, as Brandt Lenz was the Herd’s lone point guard on the night. When he was on the floor, the Bisons were the better team; when he sat, the Fighting Hawks took advantage.
Standout performance of the night came from newcomer Ramogi Nyagudi, who led all Bisons with an impressive 26 points.
Coach Schepp noted that, despite the short bench, this was a valuable early test: “Both teams played at a high level for August, and it was a very good experience for our guys.”