North Dakota opens season with three straight road games

North Dakota University men's basketball begins its 2026-27 campaign with a demanding slate of three consecutive away contests.

The Fighting Hawks, a squad featuring four freshmen and seven transfers, will play all three of these opening games on the road. Two of these opponents are Power Five programs, creating an immediate challenge for a team still finding its identity.

The season kicks off on Nov. 2 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Head coach Paul Sather described the group as being in an early infant stage of development. He noted that the schedule provides an evaluation period to determine player roles and readiness.

The road trip continues on Nov. 7 in Rock Hill, S.C., where the Hawks face Winthrop Eagles. This matchup carries personal weight for several North Dakota players. George Natsvlishvili and Anthony Smith III transferred from UND to Winthrop during the offseason. Senior center Josh Jones called the game a personal test for himself, Zach Kraft, and Karson Ouse.

Jones recalled the close relationship the team had with Natsvlishvili and Smith III during the previous season. He described the former teammates as a family and expressed excitement at the prospect of competing against them again. The Eagles defeated the Hawks 90-88 at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center last year. Winthrop finished the 2025-26 season with a 23-11 record and placed second in the Big South Conference.

The Hawks remain in South Carolina for the final leg of the trip, facing the Clemson Tigers on Nov. 9. This completes the initial stretch of non-conference play away from home. The team will not return to the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center until Nov. 14, when they host Montana.

Sather emphasized the importance of daily improvement over long-term results during this phase. He stated that the team must handle both success and failure with the same mindset to grow. The coach compared the learning process to attending a funeral rather than a wedding, suggesting that loss often provides more actionable feedback than victory.

The non-conference schedule includes additional high-level opponents such as UNLV and Colorado. Sather views these games as opportunities to build character and team cohesion among the younger players. He acknowledged that some players may overthink their roles, slowing their physical performance, but he believes the group has the talent to improve significantly over the next few months.

Last season, North Dakota struggled during the non-conference portion of its schedule. The team entered Summit League play with a 6-10 record. However, the Hawks found stability in conference play, finishing 10-6. They advanced to the Summit League tournament championship game before falling to North Dakota State. Sather hopes to replicate that pattern of growth this year, focusing on incremental daily progress rather than the difficulty of the opening road trips.