N Dakota beats Presentation 82-75 on Avants' career night

Nov 29, 2017, 03:10 am

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Conner Avants scored a career-high 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting, Geno Crandall added 20 points with five assists, and North Dakota never trailed in beating NAIA Presentation College 82-75 on Tuesday night.

Marlon Stewart had a career-high nine of the 24 assists the Fighting Hawks (4-3) used in making 35 of 64 shots from the field (54.7 percent) and 6 of 27 from long distance (22.2 percent). Tray Buchanan had 10 points and Dale Jones grabbed 10 rebounds.

Avants scored six points in North Dakota's 14-4 opening run and the Fighting Hawks pulled away on a 13-0 run in which Avants scored six more. Crandall scored his 14th point of the half and North Dakota led 45-31 at halftime.

Avants' jumper kicked off an 11-2 run and North Dakota led by 22 early in the second half. Julius Jackson scored five points amid the Saints' final 11-2 run while the Fighting Hawks went scoreless for more than two minutes until Crandall's jumper with 1:33 to play.

Jackson scored 32 points on 14-of-23 shooting, Deiontay Walters added 22 points, and Quadre Lollis had 11 boards for the Saints.