NKU finalizes their trip up to South Dakota with the first game of a home and home series with South Dakota. The Coyotes will travel to NKU next season.

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First Half Thread:

South Dakota won the tip and took it down, missing their first several shots. However, NKU fouled three times on the first defensive possession. USD hit a corner three to open the scoring. NKU answered with a 2 immediately from Pagotto.

Pagotto is 0-3 from the free throw line tonight.

The announcers just called out Daniel Nguyen by name for how active he’s been on the whistle. There have been 7 fouls in 4 minutes.

An 8th total foul called, making 4 on each team was Will Shortt’s 4th.

NKU leads 13-11 at the U16 TV timeout in the first half. Pagotto has 6 and BJ Davis Ray has 5 to lead the Norse.

NKU goes on a quick 7-0 run over 50 seconds to put them up 22-16 with 13:41 in the first. Eric Acker gets involved with a 3 and a jumper while a willie Foster fastbreak layup was sandwiched in there.

Pagotto hits a layup to make it 24-16 and then Ryan Tolliver commits a cheap foul on a drive by SD to take us to the u12.

Will Shortt’s foul trouble has presented a significant opportunity for both Ryan Tolliver and Donovan R. Neither has impacted the game much on the stat sheet, however, Tolliver’s motor on defense was a positive.

South Dakota enters the bonus with 9:54 remaining in the first half.

Pagotto with an impressive effort on the defensive glass with 0:30 remaining in the half, diving on the floor and securing a board. He got it out to Foster who went down and had his shot blocked. Pagotto picked up his 2nd foul on the ensuing transition defense.

Acker is suddenly up to 10 points, and the Norse lead 29-25. NKU calls a timeout as Jahni Summers has 13 total points and is single handedly keeping SD in this game.

Out of the timeout, NKU commits a 5 second violation. That’s not something that can happen out of a timeout you call.

These announcers continue to harp on Daniel Nguyen, the official, who has called “most of the fouls in this one”.

Acker is now up to 12 points, NKU leads 31-25. JJ Apathjang is getting some run here with 8 minutes in the first.

The pace on this game has been really fun to watch, as expected.

With 6:26 remaining in the first half, Eric Acker hit a layup and got fouled (14 points). He then celebrated and was called for a technical foul, giving him 2 personal fouls. Acker made the ensuing free throw. NKU leads 36-30.

BJ Davis Ray picks up his 2nd foul with 5:14 remaining in the first half and South Dakota completes the three point play.

Willie foster misses.a jumper but Rakotonanahary grabs the offensive rebound and gets fouled. He makes both free throws to make the game 42-35. Perhaps most importantly, however, Summers picks up his 2nd foul for SD. He has 17 points to lead all scorers.

Jokubauskas picks his 2nd foul up with 4:21 remaining. NKU has 5 guys with 2 fouls, including Acker, Davis-Ray and Pagotto.

Donovan R continues to just thrive in his minutes tonight. He just grabbed an offensive board and put it back in to get to 8 points on the night. He’s got 3 rebounds as well.

U4 Timeout: NKU leads 44-37

Ryan Tolliver picks up his 2nd foul with 3:04 remaining in the first. NKU leads 44-39.

Eric Acker picks up his 2nd foul with 2:30 remaining in the first half.

With 1:56 remaining, South Dakota challenges an out of bounds call with NKU leading 48-42.

HALFTIME: NKU 52, South Dakota 47

NKU

• Pagotto has 18 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 2 fouls
• Acker 15 points, 1 rebound, 7 assists, 3 fouls
• Donovan R 8 points, 3 rebounds
• BJ Davis-Ray has 7points, 3 rebounds

South Dakota is led by Summers with 17, and Buzelis with 10.

• Both teams are shooting >50% from the field.
• Both teams are 11-14 from the free throw line.
• Both teams have 13 rebounds on the night.
• South Dakota leads the second chance battle 12-8.
• NKU leads points in the paint 30-18.
• NKU has a 10-3 advantage in fastbreak points
• South Dakota has 9 turnovers to just 6 for NKU. The Norse have turned that into a 11-6 advantage and that’s the difference in this one so far.

2nd Half Thread:

The half has started off much as the first. Plenty of fouls with Shortt and Foster now up to 3fouls each. Buzelis is the only Coyote with 3.

u16 Media timeout after Summers picks his 3rd foul up with 15:57 remaining in the game. NKU leads 57-54.

Donovan R and Willie Foster have helped carry the Norse this half. Foster has hit several big shots, including the last 8 points here. NKU leads 70-60. Foster is up to 15. Donovan R has 10.

Just like that, he’s up to 20 points. Foster has suddenly exploded and shown exactly why he’s so high on the Norse radar. He has scored the last 5 buckets for the Norse.

U12 media timeout: NKU 75, South Dakota 62

BJ Davis Ray hits a 3 after a Will Shortt block and NKU leads 80-67. All of the momentum is with the Norse right now.

During a chaotic sequence with 9:00 remaining, Noah Pagotto did an excellent job at staying upright and not fouling. It led to a runout and layup for the Norse.

At the U8 media timeout (7:40 remaining), NKU leads 82-69. Pagotto leads all scorers with 23, while Foster has 20, Acker has 19.

Foster had 4 in the first, and is up to 16 in the 2nd for his 20.

Will Shortt fouls out of the game without being able to find a rhythm tonight, going for 0/3/0.

The Norse lead 91-76 behind a 26 point explosion from Noah Pagotto. 4:50 remaining in the game.

NKU leads 93-82. The announcers just said the refs are “bored” so they’re calling fouls. This has been an incredibly physical game, but I do believe the officiating has been tight tonight.

Willie Foster just had one of those lazy passes you sometimes see from freshmen that result in a turnover. Unfortunately for him, it caps off a 6-0 run from South Dakota to make this one a game. NKU leads 93-86.

After a missed Eric Acker layup, Donovan R committed a personal foul 90 feet from the basket, allowing South Dakota to walk to the free throw line. They missed the front end of the 1 and 1. They have missed every single 1:1 front end tonight.

Noah Pagotto hits 2 free throws to get to 27 points and extend the lead to 95-86 with 61 seconds remaining.

Eric Acker hits 1/2 with 55 seconds left to get to 20 points himself.

NKU is working through how to win a game in real time. They have missed a handful of free throws, and Willie Foster just traveled. The Norse have not hit a field goal in 2:28 and the Norse lead by 4 with 31 seconds remaining. Acker to the FT line where he makes both. 98-92.

After a layup from South Dakota, NKU’s Noah Pagotto goes to the free throw line and makes both. NKU has crossed the century mark in this one.

FINAL

NKU 102, South Dakota 94

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