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FARGO, N.D. –
Vinnie Shahid scored a career-high 31 points to lead the North Dakota State men's basketball team to an 83-76 victory over Oral Roberts on Saturday afternoon inside the Scheels Center. The Bison extended their win streak to five games.
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Shahid, a senior guard from Minneapolis, finished 8-of-14 shooting and a perfect 9-of-9 at the free throw line. He hit six three-pointers – all in the first half.
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NDSU improved to 18-7 overall and 9-2 in league play to remain atop The Summit League, matching its best conference start through 11 games since the 2014-15 season.
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Oral Roberts started hot, racing out to a 30-20 lead in the game's first 12 minutes. NDSU responded with an explosive 22-1 run to pull ahead 42-31 with two minutes remaining in the first half, and the Bison never trailed again. Sophomore
Sam Griesel scored 10 points for NDSU in the run.
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ORU closed the gap to seven at 64-57 with seven minutes remaining, but the Bison strung together a quick 6-0 run in the next minute with four Shahid free throws and a layup from
Rocky Kreuser to make it 70-57.
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When ORU cut the margin to five at 70-65 with three minutes left, Griesel answered with a three-point play.
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NDSU shot 53 percent overall and made 21-of-25 (84 percent) at the free throw line. It was the third time in the five-game win streak that the Bison shot better than 50 percent for a game.
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Kreuser finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. Griesel added a season-high 13 points and six boards.
Tyson Ward registered 12 points, six rebounds and tied a season-high with six assists.
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Oral Roberts senior guard Deondre Burns led the Golden Eagles with 26 points.
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NDSU hosts Purdue Fort Wayne on Friday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m.
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