North Dakota State Bison
Record: 25-6
Head Coach: Saul Phillips (7th season)
Season summary: The Bison are the best shooting team in the country (50.9% from the field), and they take care of the ball (12th-fewest turnovers in the nation). Guard Taylor Braun (18.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.9 APG) holds the offensive reins, but North Dakota State has a balanced lineup, with four players scoring in double figures and more than four rebounds a game. Although the Bison have played a weaker schedule than most teams in the field as a result of playing in the Summit League, North Dakota State did manage to win at Notre Dame this year, a feat even Duke couldn’t accomplish.
How they make a run: Execution beats flare, and with performances that would make Coach Norman Dale proud, the Bison prove plucky under pressure.
How they falter: The defense falters against higher-profile competition, and the low-volatile North Dakota State offense—which only makes 5.4 3-pointers per game—is insufficient against Oklahoma.
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