UTAH VALLEY WRAPS UP SAMFORD THANKSGIVING INVITE AGAINST NORTH DAKOTA STATE ON THANKSGIVING DAY
Utah Valley will wrap up play at the Samford Thanksgiving Invitational on Thursday, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day), with a matchup against North Dakota State in Birmingham, Alabama. The game marks the conclusion of a challenging stretch of three games in three days, including Wednesday night's hard-fought 84-76 loss to tournament host Samford at the Pete Hanna Center.

Utah Valley is coming off an 84-76 loss to tournament host Samford on Wednesday night at the Pete Hanna Center. The Wolverines led by as many as 15 points and held the lead for 36 minutes before a late Samford surge sealed the game. Dominick Nelson led UVU with a game-high 21 points, while Carter Welling recorded his second straight double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Trevan Leonhardt flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.

Utah Valley earned a 77-74 victory over West Georgia in the opening game of the Samford Thanksgiving Invitational on Tuesday. The Wolverines used a late 12-2 run to take control and secure the win. Carter Welling led the way with a dominant double-double, recording a career-high 21 points and 11 rebounds as UVU improved to 4-1 on the season.

After opening the season with two games at home, Utah Valley will be on the road for over a month with seven road games. The team will travel 15,180 miles during non-conference play, including trips to Murray, Kentucky; Birmingham, Alabama; Stanford, California; Harrisonburg, Virginia; Jacksonville, Alabama; Pocatello, Idaho; and Ogden, Utah. UVU will play 10 of its 14 total non-conference games on the road, with its next home game on Dec. 11 against North Dakota.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
This week's games at the Samford Thanksgiving Invitational will be broadcast live on ESPN+, which is available on the ESPN app and at ESPNplus.com. Blake Gardner and Boyd Kaiser will be on the call for the ESPN+ broadcast. The game will also be broadcast over the air waves on the Wolverine Sports Network with Jim McCulloch on the call. The radio broadcast will be aired live on ESPN 960 AM/103.9 FM radio in Utah County and 98.3 FM/105.1 (HD2) in Salt Lake City with a live stream available at ESPN960sports.com. Brice Larson will host the pregame/halftime/postgame show for the game.

ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA STATE
North Dakota State (4-4) enters Thursday's matchup against Utah Valley following a 73-61 victory over West Georgia on Wednesday at the Samford Thanksgiving Invitational. The Bison used a dominant second half, fueled by a 13-2 run led by Jacari White, to secure the win. Sophomore Noah Feddersen paced the team with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Masen Miller added 15 points on five three-pointers and Brennan Watkins chipped in 14 points and four assists. NDSU has shown its sharpshooting prowess in Birmingham, knocking down 15 threes against West Georgia just one day after setting a school record with 20 threes against Samford. The Bison are shooting 37.8 percent from beyond the arc this season and are led by White, who averages a team-high 18.0 points per game.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE BISON
Utah Valley will take the hardwood against North Dakota State for the 10th time on Thursday afternoon. NDSU holds an all-time 5-4 advantage in the series. The two teams will meet on a neutral court for the first time on Thursday. UVU holds a 3-1 record at home against the Bison and a 1-4 record on the road in Fargo. The Wolverines won the last matchup between the two teams, taking a 68-62 win in Fargo on Nov. 23, 2019. 

All-Time Results vs. North Dakota State (4-5)
Nov. 23, 2019    Utah Valley def. North Dakota State, 68-62    Fargo, N.D.
Dec. 23, 2013    North Dakota State def. Utah Valley, 74-70    Orem, Utah
Feb. 26, 2013    North Dakota State def. Utah Valley, 63-56    Fargo, N.D.
Nov. 13, 2009    Utah Valley def. North Dakota State, 80-72    Orem, Utah
Jan. 20, 2009    North Dakota State def. Utah Valley, 98-71    Fargo, N.D.
Feb. 15, 2007    Utah Valley def. North Dakota State, 66-64    Orem, Utah
Jan. 27, 2007    North Dakota State def. Utah Valley, 61-53    Fargo, N.D.
Jan. 19, 2006    Utah Valley def. North Dakota State, 67-65    Orem, Utah
Jan. 05, 2006    North Dakota State def. Utah Valley, 61-52    Fargo, N.D.

LAST TIME vs. NDSU: Utah Valley 68, North Dakota St. 62 (11/23/19 - Fargo, N.D.)
TJ Washington scored a career-high 26 points and Brandon Averette added 16 to lead the Wolverines past North Dakota State on the road, 68-62, on Nov. 23, 2019 in Fargo, North Dakota. Utah Valley improved to 4-3 on the year with the win as the Bison drop to 4-3 on the season.