January 20, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) opened the first half with a 47-29 commanding lead over Waldorf (Iowa) in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest Saturday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans held on to defeat the Warriors by the score of 79-66, putting DSU in a sole possession for first place in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball standings by one-half game (Mayville State, N.D. lost to Dickinson State, N.D., on the same night).

The Trojans ballooned their winning streak to four games, raising their overall record to 14-7 and 4-1 record in the league.  DSU matched the numbers of overall victories since the 2017-18 season, as well as the best start in the NSAA conference at 4-1 record since the 2014-15 season.

In addition, it was the first time since 2015-16 season that the Trojans had won at least four straight North Star contests and swept a pair of conference opponents for two straight weekends.

Waldorf fell to 6-12 overall record and 1-3 NSAA conference record.  Dakota State earned their fifth win in the last six meetings with the Warriors (fourth straight home victory over WU in the series meeting).

DSU concludes their three-game North Star conference home stand on Friday evening, hosting (RV) Mayville State in the annual Ag Ball contest.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

Dakota State (S.D.) 79, Waldorf (Iowa) 66 – FINAL

Waldorf (Iowa) kicked off the game with a 4-0 early lead with eighteen minutes, thirty seconds on the clock, after back-to-back baskets from Noah Miller and Gabriel Sorensen.

Brayden Pankonen drained a 3-pointer followed by Uzo Dibiamaka's layup to give the Trojans a 5-4 lead with 17:13 to go in the first half.

After trading leads or tying the game, Dakota State went on a 7-0 scoring run capped by a 3-pointer from Josh Lewis (assisted by Japjip Gill) for a 15-8 lead with 13:16 in the first.

Leading 20-16, Dakota State went on a monstrous 23-9 outburst to widen their lead to 43-25 after Dibiamaka's basket.  The Warriors were forced to burn two timeouts during DSU's scoring outburst.

The Trojans' scoring outburst highlights included making nine consecutive baskets, including four 3-pointers from three different scorers (Dibiamaka, Calvin Payne, and Pankonen).

Dakota State led as many as 20 points twice late in the first half (45-25 after Josh Lewis' basket with 2:09 left and 47-27 after Gill's basket with less than a minute to go).

The Trojans led 47-29 by halftime.  DSU was 18-of-35 from the field (51.4 percent) in the first half compared to WU 12-of-26 field goals (46.2 percent).  The Trojans drained eight three-pointers in the first twenty minutes, while the Warriors did not make a single 3-pointer.

Mison Coilton made a layup to give Dakota State the biggest lead of the game at 54-32 with 16:13 remaining.

Waldorf mounted a furious comeback to trim their deficit into single digit.  The Warriors went on a 15-2 run to cut their deficit to 56-47 after Miller's 3-pointer, forcing the Trojans to call a timeout with 12:04 left.

Dakota State went on a 9-2 run to stretch their lead to 65-49 after a 3-point play from Dibiamaka with 9:37 remaining.

The Trojans maintained control for the rest of the game, securing the victory.  Waldorf could get no closer than points on two different occasions (73-64 with 2:08 left after Miller's 3-pointer and 75-66 with 1:28 left after Kylee Washington's basket).

WU outscored DSU 37-32 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Warriors shot 51.9 percent from the field (14-of-27 field goals), while the Trojans were 40.9 percent (9-of-22 field goals).

Dibiamaka poured in a season-high 25 points for Dakota State.  He was 8-of-11 from the field, 3-of-4 from the 3-point arc and converted 6-of-7 free-throws.  Lewis added 14 points off the bench.  He hit 7-of-8 free-throws.  Coilton had 13 points. 

Gill and Pankonen each tallied six points for the Trojans.  Gill contributed four assists.  Emmanuel Akpan had five points and two blocks.  He grabbed four rebounds.  Payne tallied five points and five rebounds.  Uhana Ochan scored five points and collected four rebounds. 

Ugo Ejiofor posted a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors.  He had two blocks.  Washington added 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals.  Miller scored 14 points and earned four rebounds.  Khalil Grayson had 12 points.

Dakota State shot 47.4 percent overall from the field (27-of-57 field goals) and 9-of-19 from the 3-point arc.  Waldorf hit 49.1 percent from the field (26-of-53 field goals) and 4-of-19 3-pointers. 

The Trojans made 16 free-throws in 19 attempts (84.2 percent).  The Warriors were 10-of-16 free-throws (62.5 percent).

WU outrebounded DSU 34-29.