WOLVES FALL IN FOURTH STRAIGHT CLOSE ONE

December 14 , 2002

NSU's Adam Grant looks for a pass in Saturday's loss to South Dakota State. Also pictured is Sundance Wicks (right) setting the screen. Grant posted career highs in points (14) and rebounds (7) while Wicks pulled down a career high 14 boards.

ABERDEEN, S.D. - The Northern State men's basketball team just can't seem to get a break as they dropped a fourth straight nail-biter to South Dakota State 74-69 in Wachs Arena on Saturday night.

The game, which was eerily similar to Northern's past three losses, saw the Wolves take a nine-point lead midway through the first half at 19-10. The Jackrabbits were able to trim the NSU lead to four at 35-31 at the halftime break.

SDSU reclaimed the lead for the first time since the 17:32 mark in the first 56 seconds of the second half on a Marquise Richardson three putting the Jacks' ahead 36-35.

The game was back-and-forth until SDSU made a 9-2 run beginning at the 7:00 mark and culminating with 4:00 to go with South Dakota State leading 66-59.

Northern drew within five with :54 remaining and Sundance Wicks hit two free throws to make it 69-66 with :22 to go. Northern retrieved a rebound and Matt Hammer layed it in to cut the Jackrabbit lead to one with :15 to go.

Northern nearly came up with a steal but Dustin Hjelmeland was called out of bounds with :07 to play and the Wolves were forced to foul. Adam Robinson hit both free throws giving SDSU the three-point lead again but the Wolves were unable to convert and, with another Jacks' free throw, the game was over with SDSU winning 74-69.

--Sundance Wicks posted his sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and a career high 14 rebounds.

--Adam Grant went off for a career high 14 points and seven rebounds.

--Aaron Busack posted ten points and six boards.

--Steve Smiley had a game-high nine assists on the night.

--The Wolves won the battle on the glass 45 to 40 pulling down 17 offensive boards on the night.

--South Dakota State shot 56 percent from the floor (55.6 percent from three-point range) in the second half. They shot 42.9 percent for the game.

--Austin Hansen led SDSU with 19 points and eight rebounds.

--The five-point loss marks NSU's largest regular season loss of the season.

--NSU shot 37.5 percent from the floor on the night and was 23 percent from three-point range.

--The Jackrabbits shot 27 free throws on the night while NSU managed to get to the line just 15 times.

--NSU begins conference play on Dec. 29 at Concordia-St. Paul.

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