December 29, 2014
BELLEVUE, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) limited Oklahoma Wesleyan to 28.6 percent shooting from the field Monday evening to earn a 57-50 victory to kick off the Hampton Inn Classic, hosted by Bellevue (Neb.) at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. It was the first-ever meeting between the Trojans and Eagles.
Dakota State snapped their three-game losing streak and earned their first victory in the month of December, lifting Trojans' overall record to 4-9. Oklahoma Wesleyan, a member of the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference, fell to 3-9 overall record.
Both teams struggled to score in the opening minutes of the game. OKWU hit their first basket, a 3-pointer by Uros Pavic for a 3-0 lead with 17:15 left in the first-half. DSU answered back with a 3-pointer by Ian Barse (FR/Rapid City, S.D.), assisted by Adam Hofer (SO/Huron, S.D.), to tie the game at 3-3 with 16:55 left in first half.
DSU had the largest lead of the first-half at 15-8 before the Eagles tied the game at 20-20 (5:02 left before halftime) with a 12-5 scoring run.
Trailing 23-22, the Trojans outscored the Eagles 8-2 in the final 3:57 to gain a 30-25 halftime advantage.
Dakota State shot 46.4 percent from the field in the first-half (13-of-28). Oklahoma Wesleyan went cold, shooting 23.5 percent from the field (8-of-34). Five of the eight field goals were 3-pointers for the Eagles in the first twenty minutes of the game.
DSU would extend to their largest lead of the game at 50-40 with 6:31 remaining before the Eagles made their late charge.
Oklahoma Wesleyan went on a 10-1 scoring run to cut Trojans' lead to 51-50 with 2:15 left in the game.
The Trojans scored the final six points in the last 25 seconds of the game to seal the win, thanks to a pair of free-throws from Hofer, Derek Meger (JR/Duluth, Minn.) and Barse.
Dakota State outscored OKWU 27-25 in the final twenty minutes of the game.
Barse and Meger each had 12 points for the Trojans. Miguel Sansavour (SR/Point Fortin, Trinidad), Hofer, and Taylor Zirbel (SO/Summit, S.D.) each scored eight points. Cameron Robinson (SR/Oxford, Ga.) and Bryant Allen (SR/Maplewood, Mo.) each had two points.
Sansavour and Robinson each grabbed 10 rebounds for Dakota State. Meger added eight rebounds. Sansavour had two blocked shots.
Robinson dished out five assists for the Trojans. Hofer had three assists. Sansavaour, Allen and Nathaniel Rauen (FR/Zumbrota, Minn.) each recorded two assists.
Barse stole the ball twice in the game for DSU.
Nikolas Stjepanovic led the Eagles with 15 points. Pavic had nine points. Courtland Ross scored eight points.
Steve Cooks pulled down 10 rebounds for OKWU. Stjepanovic had two blocked shots.
Austin Fox recorded three steals for Oklahoma Wesleyan.
Dakota State shot 42.9 percent overall from the field, making 21 field goals in 49 attempts. Oklahoma Wesleyan was 16-of-56 from the field. The Trojans were 5-of-19 from the 3-point line (26.3 percent) compared to the Eagles' 6-of-25 (24 percent). OKWU struggled from the 3-point arc in the second-half, making one 3-pointer in 11 attempts.
DSU was 10-of-19 from the free-throw line (52.6 percent), while OKWU was 12-of-16 (75 percent).
The Trojans outrebounded the Eagles 42-35 in the game.
Dakota State prepare for the toughest stretch as they face three straight games against NAIA's 'Top 25' teams. The Trojans conclude their 2014 season as they visit No. 9-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) in the Hampton Inn Classic Tuesday evening. The game is set for 5 p.m. at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center in Bellevue.
DSU kicks off the 2015 year by hosting the eighth-ranked Midland (Neb.) Saturday at DSU Fieldhouse and visits No. 4-ranked Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Saturday, Jan. 10 in Mitchell.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
