Preview: Denver at North Dakota State FARGO, N.D. (Interstat) — The North Dakota State Bison, riding high atop the Summit League standings, will look to continue their dominant season when they host the struggling Denver Pioneers in a men’s NCAA Division I basketball game Thursday night at Scheels Arena. The Bison (19-5, 7-2 Summit) enter as one of the conference’s hottest teams, having won eight of their last nine games. Their most recent victory was an 89-84 overtime road win at South Dakota last Saturday, where point guard Andy Stefonowicz logged 43 minutes and posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists. Stefonowicz, a key facilitator, also had 12 points in an 82-77 win at Denver just two weeks ago. North Dakota State’s balanced attack and stout defense, which held Oral Roberts to 58 points in a rout on Jan. 24, will challenge a Denver squad seeking consistency. The Pioneers (10-14, 3-6) have lost three of their last four, including a heartbreaking 84-82 home loss to Omaha on Saturday. Despite the defeat, Denver showed offensive firepower, with Zane Nelson scoring 19 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Nelson has been a bright spot, averaging 18.4 points over his last five games, including a 20-point performance in the earlier loss to the Bison. Denver’s defense, however, has been a persistent issue, allowing an average of 82.5 points in its last four losses. Containing the Bison’s efficient offense, which averages 78.3 points per game, will be paramount for any chance at an upset on the road. The Jan. 22 meeting in Denver was tightly contested, with the Bison pulling away late for a five-point win. The Pioneers will need a similar high-level performance from Nelson and supporting scorers like Carson Johnson and Jeremiah Burke, who combined for 37 points against Omaha, to reverse that result. For North Dakota State, maintaining its one-game lead in the loss column in the conference race is critical with the league tournament approaching. A win would solidify its position while handing Denver a potentially damaging fifth loss in seven games. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST Thursday.