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Western Illinois University Athletics

Anthony Jones
Rachael Keating
99
Winner Western Ill. WIU 3-12,1-7 Summit League
87
North Dakota UND 5-14,4-6 Summit League
Winner
Western Ill. WIU
3-12,1-7 Summit League
99
Final
87
North Dakota UND
5-14,4-6 Summit League
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Ill. WIU 46 53 99
North Dakota UND 42 45 87

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Leathernecks Pick Up First Summit Win

The 99-87 decision over North Dakota marked Western's first Summit win and the first under head coach Rob Jeter.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - That first Summit League victory has been within reach so many times this season, and the Western Illinois men's basketball team finally took hold of it in a 99-87 success at North Dakota. 

The win was a long time coming for the Leatherneck squad who has battled each league competitor they've faced this season. They shot a season-best 58.5 percent from the field at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center Saturday night (Jan. 30), and four finished in double-digits, led by Colton Sandage's game-high, career-high 28 points. 

"We've been taking some on the chin, trying to figure out a way to get something done, to build a little momentum and then keep it. Tonight we played 40 minutes for the first time in league play. They showed a lot of toughness," said head coach Rob Jeter. 

"These guys have been knocked down. Last night was a punch in the gut. We felt like we let it slip away. We had to find a way for everyone to keep willing a victory, will it together, and tonight we showed a lot of culture, toughness, togetherness, and discipline." 

Western and UND traded scores the entire night, and both were remarkably accurate from the floor. Shooting 53.6 percent (15-for-28) against the Hawks' even 50 (15-for-30) assisted WIU to a 46-42 edge in between periods, and the second half carried on much like the first.  

Sandage led all scorers at halftime to stamp his third straight game with 10-plus points. He entered the weekend averaging 4.2 per game, and the recent efforts produced 17, 18, and a career-high 28 to go alongside 10 assists. 

The Hawks were up for seven minutes of the second half, but those Fighting Leathernecks refused to repeat the night before (an 83-81 setback to UND). Tamell Pearson evened things at 76-76 with 9:40 left, and it was all WIU from there. 

Will Carius (19), Cameron Burrell (14), and Adam Anhold (11) also finished in double-digits, and Pearson was a rebound and point shy of joining Sandage with a double-double. 

The Leathernecks are off to Omaha next weekend. 
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