SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A last-second free throw from George Natsvlishvili lifted the North Dakota Fighting Hawks to a thrilling 67-66 victory over No. 2 St. Thomas in the Summit League Tournament semifinals Saturday night. The dramatic win sends North Dakota to the championship game for the first time since 2020. With the score tied at 66-66 and just .1 seconds remaining, Natsvlishvili was fouled while shooting, giving him a chance to win the game. He calmly sank the first free throw, securing the narrow victory for the No. 3 seed. Eli King played a crucial role in the game-winning sequence, intercepting a pass with five seconds left and driving the ball upcourt to find Natsvlishvili. Greyson Uelmen led all scorers with 28 points, shooting an impressive 9-for-11 from the field and 9-for-12 from beyond the arc. Uelmen has now scored 69 points across the two tournament games, showcasing his remarkable form. Eli King added 17 points and reached a career milestone of 500 rebounds. Despite being outrebounded 39-25 and facing 16 fewer shot attempts, North Dakota held St. Thomas to just 4-of-24 shooting from three-point range. The Fighting Hawks overcame an eight-point deficit and led by as many as three during the contest. The first half saw five ties and five lead changes, with North Dakota trailing by six at the break. St. Thomas dominated the offensive glass, grabbing 12 offensive rebounds compared to zero for North Dakota. The second half featured a back-and-forth battle, with several lead changes. A pivotal moment came when Uelmen scored a driving layup to cut the Tommies’ lead to 42-40. A subsequent technical foul called on North Dakota coach Paul Sather resulted in free throws for St. Thomas and a three-pointer, extending their lead to 47-40. North Dakota responded with an 8-0 run sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from Uelmen and King, giving them a 56-54 advantage. The game remained tight until the final seconds, with both teams trading baskets. A clutch three-pointer from Reggie Thomas gave North Dakota a 63-60 lead with 2:38 remaining. After trailing 64-63, a tough layup from Uelmen place North Dakota back in front 66-64 with 1:11 left. St. Thomas tied the game at 66-66 with 49 seconds remaining, setting the stage for Natsvlishvili’s game-winning free throw. North Dakota will face No. 1 North Dakota State in the Summit League Championship on Sunday at 8 p.m. On CBS Sports Network, with a trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line. Postgame Notes
- UND improves to 12-12 all-time against the Tommies and 6-6 in the Summit League Tournament
- It was UND’s eighth win by three or less points
- Uelmen poured in his ninth 20-point game this season, now scoring in double figures for 17-straight games
- King recorded his 500th career rebound
- Anderson totaled 11 points, giving UND 10 in the first half
- NoDak shot it at 22-of-44 from the field and 7-for-19 from three while St. Thomas was 25-of-60 from the floor and 4-for-24 from deep
- It is North Dakota’s second appearance ever in the Summit League Tournament championship, last getting there in 2020 where they played NDSU
- UND had eight points off turnovers compared to six from UST
- UST won the points in the paint battle, 40-28
- Natsvlishvili grabbed a team-high seven rebounds
How It Happened
First Half
16:00 UST 5, UND 3
10:38 UND 15, UST 15
6:53 UST 21, UND 20
2:57 UST 30, UND 24
Halftime: UST 34, UND 28
Second Half
15:53 UST 38, UND 36
11:24 UST 49, UND 44
6:50 UND 54, UST 54
3:27 UND 58, UST 58
Final: UND 67, UST 66
For more information on North Dakota men’s basketball, visit FightingHawks.com or follow on social media @UNDmbasketball.
— UND —
