GRAND FORKS — Anthony Smith III felt terrible before Thursday night’s game at the Betty Engelstad Sioux center.

UND’s freshman guard, like most of his teammates, had spent the last 24 hours dealing with an illness ahead of the home opener against UC Riverside.

"All that’s happened within the last 24 hours health wise, I’ve got to give our guys credit, I thought they really battled," head coach Paul Sather said. "We had a lot of guys hooked up to IVs today, just trying to get some fluids, me included."

Smith didn't play like a flu-ridden freshman. He scored nine of the Fighting Hawks' last 11 points in the final four minutes and finished with a team-high 17 points.

Despite his late-game heroics, the Highlanders clung on for a 74-70 victory.

"I really didn’t have any energy in the first

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