Bison men ditch 'bombs away' in favor of tough D in win

FARGO North Dakota State head coach Dave Richmans comment on his team this week was the Bison needed to get off the rollercoaster.

It appears the amusement park theme was gifted back to the kids in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

It was a mans Summit League mens basketball game Thursday night at Scheels Center at Sanford Health Athletic Complex.

It was football without the pads, a boxing bout without gloves and the Bison showed some toughness in a 71-64 win over Kansas City.

Theyre really physical, NDSU guard Masen Miller said of the Kangaroos, and theres going to be a little bit of holding, scrapping, bumps and bruises.

But we want to hang our hat on being a tough team, especially on the defensive end.

NDSUs third straight win stopped a two-game home losing streak and pushed the Bison to 14-6 overall.

The Bison have shown in those three victories they can win all sorts of ways, scoring 110 against Oral Roberts and holding Denver to 50 points.

Kansas City attempted 40 3-point field goals, making only 14.

It was NDSU that came in with the three-ball reputation leading the country with 47.3% of its scoring coming from beyond the arc.

Im done hearing about the Bombs-away Bison, said NDSU head coach Dave Richman.

They took 40 3s and our guys trusted it, they came out hot in the second half and we didnt get rattled.

Jacksen Moni led the Bison with 24 points, but he did it in different ways than most of the season.

As NBA scout Jonathan Wasserman pointed out on social media this week, no player taller than 6-foot-9 has ever hit the 3-point shot and dished the number of assists at the rate Moni is currently on.

Thats ever in college basketball.

NDSUs Jacksen Moni producing some stat lines never seen from a big man, Wasserman wrote.

The Kangaroos put their smallest starting player, 6-4 guard Jayson Petty, on the 6-10 Moni at the outset and it worked in the first half.

Moni was 3 of 12 from the field, 0 of 5 from 3-point range, and the Kangaroos led for only 59 seconds, but it was enough to take a 35-34 halftime lead.

I think I didnt come out ready to play right away and it showed in the first half, Moni said.

All the credit to my teammates and coaches who instilled confidence in me and kept telling me to play my game and thats what I did in the second half.

Moni did not attempt a trey in the second half but was 4 of 5 from the field in those last 20 minutes and also finished with eight rebounds.

The last time he was held without a 3-pointer was late November at Samford University (Ala.).

He came in 11 of 21 from beyond the arc in his last four games.

Jacksen has seen about everything, Richman said.

We try to mix it up in practice with doubles and singles, big guys and small guys.

The first 10 minutes of the second half was a battle of lead changes and ties.

Moni got more involved in the offense and the Bison took a six-point advantage with under eight minutes remaining.

Tajavis Millers driving jumper in traffic made it a 62-55 lead with 4:54 left.

Kansas City rallied briefly, but NDSUs defense took over, limiting the Roos to some wild 3-point attempts that were off the mark.

It didnt hurt the Bison that the crowd of 1,544 made itself heard.

Two Moni free throws made it 68-61 at the 1:58 mark.

What was fun for me was the crowd in the crowd in the second half, Richman said.

We had a crowd.

We had some fans.

They were engaged and clapping and cheering and it felt like a college basketball atmosphere tonight.

KC (10-9, 2-2 Summit): Ebonkoli 1-4 0-0 2, Petty 6-17 2-2 19, Diallo 1-5 0-0 3, Brown 5-15 2-2 16, Faas 4-11 0-0 10, Nyeri 1-3 0-0 2, Ijeh 0-0 0-0 0, Hall 5-9 0-0 12, Grady II 0-0 0-0 0.

Totals: 23-64 4-4 64.

NDSU (14-6, 3-2 Summit): Moni 7-17 10-10 24, Feddersen 3-5 1-2 9, Watkins 1-3 0-0 2, White 4-13 2-3 12, M.

Miller 4-6 0-0 12, T.

Miller 4-7 1-2 10, Kasubke 1-3 0-0 2, Stefonowicz 0-0 0-1 0.

Totals: 24-54 14-18 71.

Halftime: KC 35, NDSU 34.

Total fouls: KC 18, NDSU 8.

Fouled out: none.

Rebounds: KC 38 (Petty 9); NDSU 33 (Moni 8).

3-point goals: KC 14-40 (Petty 5-14, Diallo 1-2, Brown 4-11, Faas 2-7, Nyeri 0-2, Hall 2-4); NDSU 9-26 (Moni 0-5, Feddersen 2-2, Watkins 0-2, White 2-7, M.

Miller 4-6, T.

Miller 1-2, Kasubke 0-2).

Assists: KC 12 (Hall 7); NDSU 11 (Stefonowicz 3).

Turnovers: KC 13 (Petty 4); NDSU 10 (Moni 5).

A-1,544..

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