- Teams
- Overview
- Baseball
- News
- Roster
- Facts
- Coaching Staff
- Recruits
- Schedule
- Stats
- Facilities
- Bulldog Fall Instructional Camp
- Junior Bulldog Fall Instructional Camp
- Live Stats
- CAMPS & CLINICS
- Against the Competition
- All-Americans
- All-Conference Selections
- All-Time Results
- Bulldogs in the Pros
- Season Records
- Team Awards
- Career Records
- Basketball – Men's
- Basketball – Women's
- Cross Country – Men's
- Cross Country – Women's
- Football
- Hockey – Men's
- Hockey – Women's
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track – Men's
- Track – Women's
- Volleyball
- Inside Bulldog Athletics
- Bulldog Club
- Tickets
News
News
UMD MEN SHADED BY NORTHERN STATE AT NSIC HOOPSFEST
Saturday, November 29, 2008
When the 2008-09 men's basketball season kicked off, Northern State University's Kevin Ratzsch was picked as the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference pre-season Player of the Year.
Saturday afternoon, the University of Minnesota Duluth found out exactly why.
In the opening day of the NSIC Holiday HoopsFest, the Bulldogs (4-3) fell to the Wolves 63-59 in front of 1,822 fans at the Sioux Falls Arena, in Sioux Falls, S.D., as the senior forward scored a game-high 26 points, while he snagged eight rebounds and added three assists.
Ratzsch, who tops the conference in scoring, averaging 21.5 points per contest for the unbeaten Wolves (5-0), as he shot an impressive 50 percent from the floor and sank a game-high four 3-pointers in the win.
Keyed on Ratzsch, UMD came out of the gates quickly, as they took an early 25-18 lead, before Northern State used a 23-5 run to take a 41-30 advantage into the locker room at the break.
The Bulldogs opened up the second frame in rapid fashion as they used a 12-3 run to inch within two points of the Wolves, before Northern State used a 10-2 run of their own to take a 54-44 advantage with just six minutes to play.
UMD, who was once down 14 points in the second half, closed the gap to just three points with a minute to play, but a pair of free-throws by the conference pre-season player of the year put the Bulldogs away.
UMD was led by senior center John Vaudreuil, who paced the Bulldogs in both points and rebounds, as the captain poured in 18 points and ripped down nine rebounds, while he shot a team-leading 53 percent from the field in the loss. With his 18 points, the native of Bloomington, Minn. entered the prestigious Bulldog 1,000 point club, as he now has 1,005 points on his stellar career.
The Bulldogs were also guided by junior forward Brian Sykora, who currently leads UMD in both scoring and rebounding, as the captain racked up 14 points, shot 50 percent from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds in the defeat.
Senior guard Steve Klass also had a solid afternoon as he scored eight points, secured five rebounds and dished out five assists, while junior point guard Jordan Schade provided a spark off the bench by scoring eight points and adding three helpers.
Junior forward Steve Duncan finished the contest with seven points, five rebounds and three assists, while in his first action back since his leg injury, junior guard Ron White tarred down seven boards and hit a jumper in the non-conference loss.
The Bulldogs will now hit the hotel, before they are back in action Sunday night (Nov. 30) at 8:00 p.m. from the Elmen Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., as they are set to clash with NSIC foe, Wayne State (Neb.) on the final day of the HoopsFest.
Return to all news.