UMD Men’s Basketball Dancing into Elite Eight

No. 6 UMD will take on No. 3 Black Hills State, Tuesday for a noon start. 

DULUTH, Minn.- The UMD men’s basketball team wrote their names in the history books, not only picking up its first NCAA Tournament win, but by winning the entire Regional.

The Bulldogs head to Evansville, Indiana to take on Black Hills State, a team that fell just short of the Elite Eight last year. Head coach Justin Wieck says going into this tournament, the team’s defense has been a huge key to their success, while the depth on the bench offensively gives them a chance against anyone.

“We found a new level defensively the last month or so, as we talked the last couple weeks, even in the conference tournament and the end of the season our defense had really improved. We’ve got so many weapons offensively and I think that was nice about the tournament is, it was different guys different games, we’ve got different guys that are able to score, so for us it’s about playing hard, playing great defense and just letting the game come to us,” says Wieck.

“With having so many guys like that, it’s inevitable that somebody’s going to have it going on a certain night. And so, just being able to trust each other, find who ever is having their night and stick with it, that’s just what our identity is right now and that’s what’s gotten us here,” says junior guard Joshua Brown.

No. 6 UMD will take on No. 3 Black Hills State, Tuesday for a noon start.