Sioux Falls, S.D. – It came down to the final play of the game, as the No. 6 Northern State University men's basketball finished the 2017-18 season as the NCAA National Finalist, falling to Ferris State 71-69 in the national championship. The Wolves finish the season 36-4 overall, after playing in front of a record 3,538 fans at the Sanford Pentagon.
 
It was about as close as a game could get between the Wolves and the Bulldogs, as Ferris State led 39-37 at the half and both teams tallied 32 points in the second. The second half brought two ties, and left Wolves with opportunities to seal the deal. Northern had the ball on their end of the floor, twice as the clock ticked under 30 seconds, but just did not get the ball to roll in their favor.
 
Northern out-shot and out-rebounded Ferris in the game, shooting 49.1 percent from the floor and notching 33 boards. The Wolves combined for 11 assists, seven steals, and one block. Northern tallied 52 points in the paint, 14 points off the bench, 11 second chance points, nine points off turnovers, and seven fast break points.
 
Carter Evans led four Wolves in double figures with 20 points, hitting 10-of-14 from the floor. The senior added five rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes of action. Darin Peterka and Logan Doyle followed with 14 points, while also grabbing a team leading seven rebounds apiece. Peterka shot 50.0 percent from the floor and added two steals and a team high six assists, while Doyle led the team off the bench and recorded one block and one steal, knocking down 4-of-9 from the field.
 
Ian Smith was the final Wolf in double figures, with 12 points, playing 39 minutes. Smith added two rebounds and two assists, shooting 45.5 percent from the floor. DJ Pollard grabbed the final two points for the team, adding six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
 
The Wolves wrap up a storied season where they tied the single season school record with 18 consecutive wins, broke the single season school record for wins with 36, won the NSIC overall and North Division Championships, as well as the NSIC Tournament and NCAA Central Region Championships. Peterka, Evans, and Smith all became members of the NSU 1,000 point club alongside Pollard who reached the feat a season ago. The men reached the NCAA Elite Eight for just the second time in school history (last in 1998), and tallied the first Elite Eight victory against East Stroudsburg.
 
Ian Smith, Darin Peterka, and Logan Doyle were named to the NCAA Elite Eight All-Tournament team. Northern State seniors DJ Pollard, Darin Peterka, Carter Evans, and Logan Doyle played the final games of their NSU careers, bringing the program to new heights and setting numerous program milestones.