FARGO, N.D. – The North Dakota State men's basketball team outscored South Dakota by 20 in the second half, storming back for a 73-61 victory on Saturday afternoon inside the Scheels Center.
 
The Bison trailed the Coyotes 33-25 at halftime after USD closed the half with a 12-0 run. NDSU outscored South Dakota 48-28 after halftime, improving to 3-2 in Summit League play with the win.
 
Sophomore Jacari White scored 18 points to lead the Bison, and NDSU freshman point guard Damari Wheeler-Thomas added a season-high 17 points, six rebounds and two steals while committing no turnovers. The duo combined to score 27 of their 35 points in the second half.
 
The Bison scored the first nine points out of halftime to take the lead, and eight more lead changes would follow in the contest. South Dakota led 59-58 with five minutes remaining, but NDSU scored 12 unanswered points over the next four minutes to earn the victory.
 
NDSU shot 56 percent in the second half and limited the Coyotes to 30-percent shooting after halftime. The Bison made 9-of-20 from beyond the arc in the game, including five three-pointers by White.
 
Grant Nelson scored 15 points for NDSU, and Boden Skunberg added 12. Nelson battled foul trouble, but the Bison finished plus-29 in his 23 minutes on the floor.
 
The Bison improved to 19-6 in 25 games against South Dakota in the Division I era.
 
NDSU returns to the road next week, playing at Denver on Jan. 12 and at Omaha on Jan. 14.