The win came without freshman sensation, Nick Smith Jr. who was sidelined with knee soreness.
Eric Musselman relied on his elite transfer class to bring in the win. Ricky Council led all scorers with 22 points and a highlight dunk. Trevor Brazile followed with 21 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, also going 3 for 6 from behind the arc.
North Dakota State attempted to keep it close for as long as possible, only trailing eight points but the Hogs turned the volume up in the second half, pushing the lead to 20.
The Hogs have Final Four aspirations and expectations. Musselman has put together a good group with transfers and high-ranking recruits that can definitely make a late push in March.