UND's Natsvlishvili sinks free throw to beat St. Thomas, advance to Summit League final

Junior forward's late free throw sends North Dakota to first conference championship game

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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UND junior forward George Natsvlishvili hit a free throw with 0.1 seconds left to beat St. Thomas 67-66 in the Summit League tournament semifinals on Saturday night, sending the Fighting Hawks to their first-ever conference championship game.

Why it matters

The victory marks a significant milestone for the UND men's basketball program, which has struggled to find consistent success in the Summit League since joining the conference in 2018. Reaching the championship game represents a major step forward for the team.

The details

With the game tied 66-66, Natsvlishvili was fouled on a drive to the basket and stepped to the line for two free throw attempts. He calmly sank the first shot to give UND the one-point lead with just 0.1 seconds remaining on the clock.

  • The game-winning play occurred with 0.1 seconds left in the Summit League tournament semifinal on Saturday, March 8, 2026.

The players

George Natsvlishvili

A junior forward for the University of North Dakota men's basketball team who hit the game-winning free throw to send UND to the Summit League championship game.

University of North Dakota

The men's basketball team from the University of North Dakota, which is competing in the Summit League tournament for the first time since joining the conference in 2018.

St. Thomas

The opponent that UND defeated 67-66 in the Summit League tournament semifinals.

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What they’re saying

“I was getting to the free-throw line, and I thought about that moment,”

— George Natsvlishvili, UND Junior Forward (Grand Forks Herald)

What’s next

UND will now advance to the Summit League championship game on Monday, March 10, 2026, where they will face the winner of the other semifinal matchup.

The takeaway

Natsvlishvili's clutch free throw capped a hard-fought victory for UND, marking the first time the program has reached the Summit League title game since joining the conference. This achievement represents a significant milestone in the team's development and a promising step forward for the future of UND basketball.