November 29, 2015

FREMONT, Neb. – Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) only led once in the game at 2-0 in the beginning of the game in the final game of the Midland (Neb.) Men's Basketball Draemel Classic versus Dakota State (S.D.) Sunday afternoon at Events Center.  The Trojans overtook the lead and maintain control for the rest of the game, defeating the Wolves by the score of 70-63.

Dakota State improved their overall record to 5-4, while Cardinal Stritch fell to 4-5 overall record.  Both teams received votes to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 national poll.

The Wolves opened up the game with a two-point lead with nineteen minutes and twenty-four seconds on the clock.  Then, the Trojans went on to score nine straight points – five points from Brendon Boomsma and four points from Kyle Kilgore – for 9-2 lead with 17:18 on the clock in the first-half.

DSU gained their first double-digit lead at 20-9 after a basket by Kilgore with 13:43 remaining before intermission.  Boomsma drained a 3-pointer to give the Trojans their biggest lead of the game at 32-17 with 7:04 remaining in the first period.

After Cardinal Stritch went on an 8-0 scoring run to cut DSU's lead to 32-27, Dakota State closed the first half by scoring six straight points (lay-ups by Kilgore, Justin Folkers and Nathaniel Rauen) for a 38-27 halftime lead.

The Trojans were 43.2 percent shooting in the first-half (16-of-37) compared to the Wolves 34.5 percent (10-of-29) in the first twenty minutes of the game.

Adam Hofer hit a 3-pointer to put DSU up 51-40 with 13:16 remaining, but the Wolves went on a scoring surge to trim Trojans' lead down to one point.

CSU went on a 13-3 scoring run to cut Dakota State's lead to 54-53 with 7:15 left in the game.

DSU answered it with a 9-2 run as the Trojans' lead grew to 63-55 with 4:35 remaining.

Leading 67-61, Dakota State secured the game making 3-of-4 free-throws by Hofer for a 70-61 lead with 14 seconds remaining in the game.  Cardinal Stritch made the final basket of the game with six seconds left in the game.

Four DSU starters scored in double-digits in the game.  Kilgore posted a double-double of 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.  He was 9-of-12 from the field.  Hofer added 17 points and dished out a game-high six assists.  He was 5-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-10 from the 3-point line.

Boomsma scored 13 points for the Trojans.  Derek Meger tallied 12 points and produced three assists.  Tanner Heiser had six points and three assists.

Meger and Heiser each earned seven boards for Dakota State.  Hofer stole the ball three times. 

Tyler Semenas led Cardinal Stritch with 16 points (7-of-12 from the field).  Brandon Moore added 12 points.  Carlos Knox had 11 points and Frederik Benzon scored 10 points off the bench. 

Moore and Corey Evak each pulled down six rebounds for the Wolves.  Marcus Fair had four assists.  Billy Kirby stole the ball three times.

Dakota State shot 45.2 percent overall from the field, converting 28 field goals in 62 attempts.  Cardinal Stritch was 25-of-58 from the field (43.1 percent).  The Trojans were 9-of-28 from the 3-point line (32.1 percent) compared to the Wolves 5-of-19 3-pointers (26.3 percent).

CSU was 8-of-9 free-throws (88.9 percent) while DSU struggled by making 5 free-throws in 12 attempts (41.7 percent).

The Trojans outrebounded the Wolves 37-30.  DSU outscored CSU 30-26 inside the paint and 14-4 in second-chance points.

Dakota State returns home Friday evening as they open up their North Star Athletic Association conference play.  The Trojans host the nationally-ranked Bellevue (Neb.) – newcomer to the NSAA conference – at DSU Fieldhouse.  Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Madison, S.D.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director