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FARGO, N.D. – Junior Boden Skunberg hit the game-winning shot as time expired, giving the North Dakota State men's basketball team a 71-69 win over Western Illinois in the regular season finale on Saturday afternoon.
 
With the game tied at 69-69 and just under 10 seconds remaining, NDSU went the length of the floor, got the ball to Skunberg, and he hit a contested jumper from the right wing as time expired.
 
Skunberg finished with 24 points to lead the Bison, and Grant Nelson added 23 for NDSU.
 
NDSU led by 16 points in the second half, holding a 49-33 advantage with 16:40 remaining. The Leathernecks steadily climbed back into the game, taking a 62-59 lead with just under five minutes left. Damari Wheeler-Thomas got a bucket to put NDSU back ahead 66-65 with 2:28 left.
 
The teams traded the lead two more times. After WIU's Trenton Massner drained a pair of free throws to knot the game at 69-69 with nine seconds left, Skunberg hit his game winner.
 
The Bison shot 50 percent overall and 40 percent from three-point range (8-for-20). Western Illinois shot 46 percent for the game and 35 percent from beyond the arc (7-for-20).
 
Sophomore Jacari White added 10 points off the bench for NDSU.
 
The Bison secured third place in the final Summit League standings at 11-7, and NDSU will be the No. 3 seed in the Summit League Tournament, playing in the fourth quarterfinal game on Sunday, March 5, at 8:30 p.m. CT.