GAME NOTES: Former foes from the Great West Conference get together in Salt Lake City on Saturday, as the Broncs of Texas-Pan American match up against North Dakota in the final round of the University of Utah Tournament at the Huntsman Center.

The Broncs, who don't play at home again until two weeks from now, hope to salvage at least one game in this tournament before heading back to Texas. The team first lost to host Utah on Wednesday by a final of 85-48, and was then tripped up by Alabama State on Friday, 91-79.

As for North Dakota, it has alternated wins and losses through the first five games, following up a 75-68 victory over Alabama State in the first game of this event by losing to Utah in a massive 90-53 downfall yesterday.

According to UTPA sources, the Broncs trail in the all-time series by a count of 7-3, losing two in a row to North Dakota. The most recent clash took place during the semifinals of the Great West Conference Tournament in 2012 as North Dakota slipped by in a 63-59 final.

Janari Joesaar registered a double-double consisting of 28 points and 11 rebounds, both of which paced the Broncs on Friday, but even that was not enough to keep the team from landing in the loss column again. Joesaar, who led four players in double figures, converted 4-of-7 beyond the arc, but at the same time turned the ball over five times. Shaquille Boga accounted for 16 points and six assists, Shaquille Hines added 15 points and Isaiah Hobbs finished with 10 points thanks to 8-of-12 shooting at the free-throw line.

Joesaar, the leading scorer for the Broncs in all but one of the first five games of the season, is not only producing 20.6 ppg on 52.5 percent shooting from the field and 11-of-24 out on the perimeter, he also paces the program on the glass as well with 10.8 rpg. However, because no one else is pulling down more than five rebounds per game for UTPA, the team is being beaten on the glass by more than six rebounds per outing.

Making just 10 field goals in the first half and shooting 32.8 percent from the field, North Dakota did not stand a chance against the Runnin' Utes last night in Salt Lake City. The only UND starter to made more than three field goals was Terrel De Ruen who finished with 12 points, while reserve Lenny Antwi tacked on another 10 points as he accounted for two of the team's five 3-point buckets.

Although he finished with only six points in last night's contest, the first time he has been held to less than double figures, Jaron Nash is still the leading scorer overall for North Dakota with his 14.6 ppg. Nash is also tops on the glass for the program as well with eight rebounds per contest, but this is still a team that is clearing only 33.2 rpg and putting up just 65.6 ppg, which is far below what the Broncs are giving up (79.0 ppg).

With Joesaar in the paint for the Broncs, there's no reason to believe this squad cannot get over on North Dakota, a team it knows relatively well from just a few years back in conference play.