Hooker scores 20, Avants adds 17 as N Dakota beats N Arizona (Jan 05, 2017)
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) Quinton Hooker had 20 points, Conner Avants scored 17 on 7-of-12 shooting and North Dakota beat Northern Arizona 68-63 on Thursday night.
Avants added nine rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots. Corey Baldwin scored 10 points for North Dakota (7-6, 2-1 Big Sky).
Baldwin and Billy Brown each hit a 3-pointer during an 11-1 run that made it 51-45 and the Fighting Hawks led the rest of the way.
Mike Green and Marcus DeBerry sandwiched 3s around a jumper by Hooker to pull Northern Arizona (3-12, 0-2) within two with 42 seconds left, but Geno Crandall hit two free throws 28 seconds later to make it 67-63. JoJo Anderson missed a 3 and DeBerry, after grabbing the offensive rebound, missed another before Hooker made the second of two foul with two seconds remaining.
DeBerry made five 3s and finished with 19 points, both career highs, for the Lumberjacks.
