Last Saturday on March 24, the Northern State University Wolves Men’s basketball team competed in their first national championship since 1994, completely shocking the town of Aberdeen, SD.

There were teams from all other the country that traveled to Sioux Falls, SD. to complete in the Elite Eight at the Sanford Pentagon, along with South Dakota’s own Northern State University Wolves. After defeating East Stroudsburg University, the number three seeded wolves were in the Final Four competing against Queens University the second ranked seed. After an incredibly close basketball game including two overtimes, the Northern Wolves came out on top advancing to the championship game.

Northern State had to take on the number one ranked team, Ferris State University from Big Rapids, MI. The Pentagon was jammed pack of maroon and yellow as there were Northern fans everywhere. The tickets for the game sold out in a matter of minutes along with a line of fans lined up outside the gym, making it the first ever Division 2 tournament to be sold out. Waiting for the doors to be opened, the Pentagon had the biggest crowd it has ever seen with over 10,000 people trying to purchase tickets. The overwhelming noise of a couple thousand of Northern State fans was incredible as the championship game began.

It was a very close game from the tip-off as the Wolves managed to stay just within points of the incredibly quick players of Ferris State. The Wolves fearlessly battled the entire half but Ferris State ended up ahead at halftime with a 39-37 lead.

Each team refused to give up during the second half. There were six lead changes throughout the game that kept it close, giving the crowd everything they could ask for. Despite the different playing styles of each of these teams, they were evenly matched. It came down to whoever was up when the time ran out. Ferris State pulled away at the end with their two point lead with 10 seconds left. With a last second shot by wolves senior Darin Peterka, he came up less than an inch short allowing the Ferris State Bulldogs to take the national title with a final score of 71-69. Ferris State brought home the first ever national title for their school in history. It will definitely be a national championship that no one will ever forget.