March 3, 2015

MADISON, S.D. - Dakota State (S.D.) won the 2015 North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Men's Basketball Conference Postseason Tournament Tuesday night.  The No. 2 seed Trojans earned the NSAA's conference automatic bid in 66-65 thrilling victory over No. 1 seed Jamestown (N.D.), which both teams met in the NSAA championship game for the second straight year.

The Trojans will go to Point Lookout, Mo. for the upcoming NAID Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament on March 11-17.  Dakota State built a 12-point lead midway through the first half before the Jimmies trimmed DaSU's lead by 35-32 at halftime.  UJ regained their lead back with less than 1:30 remaining, but the Trojans closed the game with a 4-0 run.  Dakota State, despite being outrebounded by UJ 40-29, shot 44.3 percent overall from the field (27-of-61) compared to Jamestown 41.4 percent (24-of-58).

In the NSAA semifinal game at the DSU Fieldhouse Sunday evening, Dakota State took control after trailing in the opening minutes of the game as Mayville State led 9-6.  The Trojans went on an 18-4 outburst and never look back trailed again.  DaSU had a 37-23 halftime advantage and maintained control by leading as many as 28 points (63-35) with 9:41 left in the game.  The Trojans shot 50 percent overall (27-of-54) compared to the Comets 22-of-47 (46.8 percent). 

Jamestown kicked off the NSAA Men's Basketball Conference Tournament's quarterfinal round on Feb. 25, cruising to a 94-65 victory over Valley City State at the Civic Center.  The Jimmies shot a blazing 64.7 percent from the field (33-of-51), including 11-of-20 from the 3-point line (55 percent).  The Vikings were held to 37.1 percent shooting from the field (23-of-62) and 9-of-27 from the 3-point arc (33.3 percent).  UJ led wire-to-wire in the game.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, Dakota State stormed back in the second-half after trailing by five points at 36-31 versus Dickinson State (N.D.) at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans would outscore the Blue Hawks 54-38 in the final twenty minutes after missing just six shots from the field (21-of-27 and nailed down 5-of-6 3-pointers) to earn an 85-74 victory.  DaSU shot 62.3 percent overall from the field (33-of-53) and 11-of-18 from the 3-point line (61.1 percent).  The Blue Hawks were 45.9 percent from the field (28-of-61) and 14-of-28 from the 3-point line.

Mayville State raced to a double-digit lead in the first-half over Presentation at the Strode Center in Aberdeen.  The Comets never trailed in the game and led as many as 17 points in the first-half.  MSU held a 38-30 halftime advantage.  PC could get no closer than one point early in the second-half as Mayville State held on to a 72-66 victory, despite committing 24 turnovers in the game for the Comets.  MSU shot 57.1 percent from the field (28-of-49) compared to the Saints' 41.3 percent (26-of-63).  The Comets took advantage at the rebounding category, outrebounding Presentation 35-17.

2015 North Star Athletic Association Men's Basketball Postseason Conference Tournament

NSAA Men's Basketball Quarterfinals - Wednesday, Feb. 25/Thursday, Feb. 26
Game 1 (Wednesday, Feb. 25):  No. 1 seed Jamestown (N.D.) 94, No. 6 seed Valley City State (N.D.) 65 - FINAL - BOX SCORE - RECAP
Game 2 (Thursday, Feb. 26):  No. 2 seed Dakota State (S.D.) 85, No. 5 seed Dickinson State (N.D.) 74 - FINAL - BOX SCORE - RECAP
Game 3 (Thursday, Feb. 26):  No. 4 seed Mayville State (N.D.) 72, No. 3 seed Presentation (S.D.) 66 - FINAL - BOX SCORE - RECAP

NSAA Men's Basketball Semifinals - Sunday, March 1 - 6 p.m.
Game 4:  No. 2 seed Dakota State (S.D.) 75, No. 4 seed Mayville State (N.D.) 57 - FINAL - BOX SCORE - RECAP

NSAA Men's Basketball Championship Game - Tuesday, March 3
Game 5:  No. 2 seed Dakota State (S.D.) 66, No. 1 seed Jamestown (N.D.) 65 - FINAL - BOX SCORE - RECAP

Nick Huntimer, North Star Athletic Association Sports Information Director