WOLVES END SEASON WITH NSIC TOURNAMENT SEMIFINAL LOSS TO UM-DULUTH

March 8, 2003

St. Paul, Minn.- Northern State was held without and field goal in overtime and shot just 29 percent from the field on the night as Minnesota-Duluth ended the Wolves' season with a 68-65 overtime loss in the NSIC tournament semifinals on Saturday.

The Wolves dug themselves a five-point hole to beging the game as UMD's Matt Williams and Jason Schneeweis hit two shots but NSU made a run of their own to go up 8-5 with 15:15 left in the first.

The lead would change hands five more times before the Bulldogs took a 33-30 advantage into the halftime break.

Things looked very good for Northern State early in the second half as the Wolves used a 10-0 run in the first 4:10 of the periord to take a 40-33 lead.

Northern would bump its lead up to eight points with just 8:14 remaining in regulation but UMD came back with a 9-1 run in the next 5:25 to tie the score at 51-51 with 2:49 to play.

NSU went on top 54-51 as Aaron Busack hit a layup and and foul shot but Nick Cheney and Jason Schneeweis took advantage of three NSU turnovers in a row to put UMD up 55-54.

Cheney then drained two free throws with :22 left to put UM-Duluth up by three when Nick Schroeder missed a jumper with :11 left in the game. NSU stayed alive when Sean Seaman missed the front end of a one-and-one and Sundance Wicks made the Bulldogs pay as he hit a three with 0.7 seconds left on the clock to send the game to OT.

The Bulldogs' took an early 4-0 lead in the extra frame but NSU fought back in it with free throws from Jarod Obering and Adam Grant and then matched points with UMD until the 2:12 mark when Jason Schneeweis put UM-Duluth ahead 64-63 on a free throw.

Schneewies then put the Bulldogs up three on a made basket but Steve Smiley drained two charity shots to keep the Wolves within one at 66-65 with :54 to go.

NSU forced a UMD turnover but failed to convert on the other end and were forced to foul when Hudson Denny hit one-of-two free throws to put them up by two.

NSU then missed two more opportunities to score with under :10 to play and sent Denny to the line again where he hit one-of-two for a second time.

Northern's Steve Smiley was then fouled and the junior missed on both free throws and the Wolves would not get another shot attempt and UMD came away with the win.

Sundance Wicks closed out his senior season with 18 points and six rebounds to lead NSU while Aaron Busack added 13 points and was 7-for-7 from the free throw line.

NSU senior Nick Schroeder hit for ten points and surpassed 1,000 points in his career.

Steve Smiley led NSU on the boards with nine rebounds. He also dished out a team high six assists.

Northern shot just 29.0 percent (18-62) on the night and was just 7-of-25 (.280) from three point range.

NSU finishes its season with a 20-9 overall mark.

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