Feb. 14, 2007

Orem, UT- The top two United Basketball League teams square off on Thursday at 7 p.m. when North Dakota State plays Utah Valley State in the McKay Center. The game can be heard live on 1400 KSTAR.

Both teams come into Thursday's game with a 4-1 record in United Basketball League play. North Dakota State is 15-7 overall and the Wolverines are 17-7. The Bison also have a 5-1 record against Independent teams while the Wolverines have a 7-1 mark.

In the latest RPI rankings, Utah Valley is ranked 142, which is three spots higher than North Dakota State's 145 mark. The Wolverines continue to get votes in the Mid-Major Top 25 poll as they climbed 11 spots and are ranked 33rd, the highest they have ever been ranked. North Dakota State is 38th in the poll.

This is the fourth meeting between the two schools. NDSU holds a 2-1 series lead, having won twice in Fargo and lost last year in Orem, 67-65, thanks to a tip-in at the buzzer by Tika Wesley.

In the most recent meeting, North Dakota State knocked off the Wolverines in Fargo 61-53.

North Dakota State beat then No. 8 Marquette on the road 64-60 back on December 2. The Bison have four players averaging 15 points or better. Andre Smith leads the team in scoring and rebounding at 16.5 points and 8.9 boards a game. Mike Nelson is scoring 16.4 points while Ben Woodside is scoring 16 points and Brett Winkelman is netting 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds.

As a team North Dakota State is shooting 51 percent from the field and averaging 75.3 points a game. The Bison are also averaging 36.5 rebounds a contest.

"We struggled to be competitive in Fargo," Utah Valley State coach Dick Hunsaker said. "Their physicalness and aggressiveness really knocked us backwards. They are a terrific team with a very balanced scoring attack."

Utah Valley is coming off an 81-76 road win at Texas-Pan American last Saturday. The win set a school record for most wins in a single season since playing a complete Division I schedule and it gave Texas-Pan American its first home loss. David Heck led UV with 23 points on seven of 11 shooting and he had a team-high seven rebounds.

Ryan Toolson leads Utah Valley in scoring at 14.6 points a game on 47 percent shooting from the field. Heck is second in scoring and rebounding at 12.9 points and five rebounds a game.

Utah Valley has won four straight games for the second time this season and they have won 11 of its last 13 games.

Following Thursday's game, Utah Valley plays host to South Dakota State on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the McKay Center. The Wolverines won 66-54 at South Dakota State on January 25. South Dakota State, North Dakota State and IPFW will join the Mid-Continent Conference next season.