UND’s Treysen Eaglestaff says Alabama game ‘could inspire a lot of North Dakota kids’ – Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS — At the start of Treysen Eaglestaff’s freshman season at UND in 2022, the Fighting Hawks played two ranked teams in a span of 20 days: No. 9 Creighton and no. 23 Iowa State.

He thought back to those games — especially the game in Ames, Iowa — before UND plays No. 6 at Alabama at 20 Wednesday at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

“I definitely could have played harder,” he said. “It makes me mad because it’s a big opportunity to play against such a good team. Coming out of the game tomorrow, my body … I shouldn’t be walking normally tomorrow after the game. I should be limping, I should be in pain, because it means I know I gave it my all.

“Just play your hardest. I told the other guys if I go back and watch the film and I could have done more, obviously it’s going to eat at me forever.”

Wednesday’s game will be the third time Eaglestaff and Alabama forward Grant Nelson, two former North Dakota Mr. Basketball winners, meet each other.

Eaglestaff won the award in 2022 after a stellar career at Bismarck High, while Nelson won the award in 2020 after an outstanding career at Devils Lake. (A third Mr. Basketball winner, UND wide receiver Deng Deng will be in attendance for Wednesday’s game.)

Eaglestaff and Nelson did not play each other in high school, but did play twice when Nelson was at North Dakota State. The Bison won both games by at least 16 points.

Eaglestaff has played against Leif Nelson, one of Grant’s nine siblings who was a thrower on USC’s track and field team.

“Their family is just a bunch of freak athletes,” Eaglestaff said.

Five players from North Dakota will be on the field for the game – Eaglestaff, Nelson, Grand Forks native Zach Kraft and Bismarck products Ryan Erikson and Anthony Doppler.

Regardless of the outcome, Eaglestaff said the game will be big for kids from the state.

“It can inspire a lot of North Dakota kids,” he said. “You don’t get the recognition in basketball that you sometimes deserve. It’s really hard to get out of North Dakota and Grant is a great example that you can do it. I think that’s super cool.

“Any kid that goes to the game and watches the game can be like, ‘I want to be here one day,’ and you can if you work hard. I never went to an NBA game growing up or a DI game, but I saw the University of Mary play, and I’m like, “OK, I want to be here one day.” It inspired me, so I think just having that environment and having that big audience that comes and all the fans … it will be a super great experience for everyone there.”