North Dakota overview

The Fighting Hawks are 19-time veterans of the NCAA Tournament – below the Division I level, that is. They made seven different trips to the Elite Eight of the Division II event before beginning a transition to Division I in 2008-09. They became a full-fledged Division I member in 2012-13, joined the Big Sky Conference and are now on college basketball’s biggest stage. They made it this year by riding the talents of three guards who all average in double figures, led by senior guard Quinton Hooker. They run the nation’s 35th fastest tempo, averaging just 16.0 seconds per offensive possession, in large part because they are often successful in transition. They also shoot 3-pointers at a 38.7 percent pace. The Hawks are similarly aggressive on defense, pressing and playing mostly man-to-man defense. They average seven steals a game, with Crandall averaging more than two. 

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