November 1, 2017

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Dordt (Iowa) opened up their first-half by outscoring Dakota State (S.D.) 56-38 and never looked back Wednesday evening at DeWitt Gymnasium.  The Defenders defeated the Trojans 110-92 in a non-conference men's basketball high-scoring affair.

Dakota State suffered their first loss of the season, falling to 2-1 overall record.  It was the season opener for Dordt.

The Defenders opened up the game with an 8-2 lead, but the Trojans answered back with a 5-0 run to cut DC's lead to 8-7 with 16 minutes, 21 seconds left on the clock.

Dordt earned the biggest lead of the first-half at 56-33 with 1:41 to go.  Dakota State would close the first-half by scoring five straight points (a pair of free-throws by Maurice Arrington and a 3-pointer by Brady Elder) to cut DC's lead to 56-38.

The Defenders were 23-of-37 from the field (62.2 percent), including 8-of-15 from the 3-point arc in the first-half.  The Trojans shot 56 percent (14-of-25 field goals) and 4-of-10 3-pointers.

Dordt maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game to secure the victory.  Dakota State could get no closer than 13 at 83-70 after a 3-pointer by Keeon Johnson with 9:06 remaining.

DSU and DC each scored 54 points in the final 20 minutes of the game.  The Trojans shot a blazing 71.4 percent from the field (20-of-28) in the second-half, including 7-of-11 from the 3-point line.  The Defenders were 60.6 percent from the field (20-of-33 field goals) and 8-of-14 3-pointers.

Johnson led all-scorers with 27 points for DSU.  He was 10-of-12 from the field and went 6-of-7 from the 3-point line.  Justin Folkers tallied 21 points on his 9-of-12 field goal shooting.  Kevin Daniels had 11 points.  Elder scored nine points off the bench.  Josh McGreal and Falcon Albers each scored seven points.

Arrington pulled down eight rebounds for the Trojans.  Folkers added five rebounds.  Daniels stole the ball two times.

Elder dished out six assists for Dakota State.  Johnson, Arrington and Brendon Boomsma each produced three assists.

Alec Henrickson scored 23 points for Dordt.  He was 7-of-11 from the field, including 5-of-6 from the 3-point line.  Marcus Winterfeld added 19 points (8-of-10 field goals and 3-of-5 from the 3-point line).  Jesse Jansma and Kyle Lang each scored 13 points off the bench.  Andrew O'Donnell had 12 points.

Josh Van Lingen led the Defenders with four rebounds.  Chandler Brunsting registered seven assists and stole the ball four times.

Dordt shot 61.4 percent overall from the field (43-of-70), while Dakota State shot better with a season-high 64.2 percent field goal shooting (34-of-53).  The Defenders hit 16 3-pointers in 29 tries (55.2 percent) compared to the Trojans' 11-of-21 3-pointers (52.4 percent).

DSU was 13-of-17 from the free-throw line (76.5 percent) while DC struggled after going 8-fo-14 free-throws (57.1 percent).

Dordt outrebounded Dakota State 31-22 on the boards.  The Defenders' bench outscored the Trojans 55-27. 

Dakota State looks to bounce back in the winning column with a pair of games at the Sanford Pentagon.  DSU will be hosting the second annual South Dakota NAIA Basketball Classic.  The Trojans play Mount Marty (S.D.) in the nightcap on Saturday evening at 8 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director