United Tribes Secures Top Seed in Region XIII Tournament with 89-73 Win Over Dakota College Bottineau

The United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) Thunderbirds earned the number one seed for the upcoming Region XIII tournament with an 89-73 victory over Dakota College Bottineau on Monday night. The Thunderbirds came out firing on all cylinders in a game that saw both teams battle through momentum swings.

The Thunderbirds jumped out to an early 17-7 lead, sparked by a deep three-pointer from Jacolby Pearson that forced the Lumberjacks to call an early timeout. However, Dakota College Bottineau answered back with a 21-9 run, taking a 28-26 lead with just under 10 minutes left in the first half. But the Thunderbirds regained control in the latter stages of the half, using a strong closing run to head into halftime with a 45-38 advantage.

The second half saw UTTC take charge, thanks to a quick spark from Mark Fassett, who hit a three-pointer right out of the break. From there, the Thunderbirds steadily pushed their lead to 17 points and maintained control throughout the remainder of the game, sealing the 89-73 victory.  

Sophomore forward Houston Davis once again delivered a standout performance, leading the team with 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field. Davis also contributed 8 assists and 6 rebounds in an all-around effort. The Thunderbirds displayed a well-balanced attack, with freshman guard Dalen Leftbear contributing 20 points, Drew Bordeaux adding 14, and Jacolby Pearson finishing with 11. Fassett, running the point, efficiently dished out 7 assists while adding 7 points of his own.

The win clinches the top seed in the Region XIII Tournament and they will face Gogebic College on March 1st in Inver Grove Heights, MN.  

Thriller Against Williston State Ends in Narrow Loss for UTTC

The Thunderbirds' thrilling season continued on Sunday night, as they faced off against the Williston State Tetons in a battle for second place in the Region XIII standings. The game was a back-and-forth affair, with 13 lead changes and 11 ties. In the end, the Tetons outlasted the Thunderbirds in a 94-91 shootout.

Houston Davis put on a clinic in the loss, scoring a season-high 43 points in a great effort to lead his team. However, Williston State's Rex Stirling was equally dominant, finishing with 24 points, 12 rebounds. Stirling's performance in the paint and on the boards played a pivotal role in securing the Tetons' hard-fought victory.

Dalen Leftbear added 16 points for the Thunderbirds, while Caleb Cole led the team in rebounds with 7. 

Looking Ahead

The Thunderbirds now look forward to their upcoming games, starting with a road trip to Wahpeton on Sunday to take on North Dakota State College of Science at 3 p.m. They will return home for their final regular-season contest on Monday night, hosting Lake Region State College at 7:30 p.m.