November 4, 2017
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) held Mount Marty (S.D.) to zero points in the final 4:35 of the game, earning a 71-64 men's basketball victory on the first day of the South Dakota NAIA Basketball Classic at Sanford Pentagon's Heritage Court. The Trojans shut down the Lancers 9-0 after trailing at 64-62 with 4:35 remaining.
Dakota State raised their overall record to 3-1. Mount Marty, who played their season opener game Saturday after earning a forfeit victory at Grace (Neb.) on Nov. 1, is 1-1 overall record.
Tied at 4-4, the Trojans used a 14-2 scoring outburst to grab the biggest lead of the game at 18-6 with 12 minutes on the clock in the first-half. During the scoring run, Keeon Johnson drained three straight 3-pointers for DSU 13-4 lead. Justin Folkers added a lay-up, while Falcon Albers hit a 3-pointer for Trojans' 12-point lead and forced the Lancers to burn a timeout.
Mount Marty answered back with a 21-8 run to overtake the lead at 29-26 with 4:04 left before intermission.
After Trojan Maurice Arrington's lay-up to tie the game at 30-30, Marcus Mathieu made three free-throws in the final 38 seconds of the first-half to give MMC a 33-30 halftime lead.
The Lancers shot 47.8 percent from the field (11-of-23), including 5-of-12 3-pointers (41.7 percent) in the first twenty minutes of the game. The Trojans were 44.4 percent, making 12 baskets in 27 attempts. DSU was 4-of-17 from the 3-point line.
Mount Marty increased their lead to 44-37 with less than 16 minutes to go in the game. The Lancers maintained their lead between one- and five-points for a span of seven minutes.
Trailing 55-53, Kevin Daniels drained a 3-pointer as the Trojans regained their lead at 56-55 with 8:05 to go.
Sheldon Siemonsma hit a 3-pointer to give MMC a 64-60 with 4:35 remaining. Daniels made a 3-pointer as DSU earned a 65-64 lead with 3:05 left.
Folkers hit a jumper with 1:07 left as the Trojans extended their lead to 67-64. After DSU made another defensive stop on the Lancers, Brendon Boomsma made a driving lay-up as Dakota State widen their lead to 69-64 with less than 17 seconds to go.
The Lancers failed to convert a scoring opportunity on the next possession. The Trojans secured the victory after Arrington's pair of free-throws to expand their lead to 71-64 with less than 10 seconds left in the game.
Mount Marty missed six field goals in the final 4:35 of the game. The Trojans outscored the Lancers 41-31 in the second-half.
Daniels led DSU with 22 points on his 9-of-17 field goal shooting. He stole the ball four times. Johnson added 14 points on his perfect 5-of-5 field goals, including 4-of-4 from the 3-point arc. Folkers scored 10 points and pulled down 8 rebounds.
Arrington had nine points and nine rebounds for Dakota State. Josh McGreal earned six boards. Brady Elder dished out four assists.
Mathieu scored a game-high 27 points for the Lancers. He was 8-of-21 from the field and 8-of-11 from the free-throw line. He also produced five assists. Conlan Callahan added nine points.
OJ Thok and Mathieu each collected five rebounds for MMC. Drew Cheskie stole the ball twice.
Mount Marty shot 45.1 percent overall from the field (23-of-51) compared to Dakota State 44.3 percent (27-of-61). The Trojans drained 10 3-pointers in 31 tries (32.3 percent) while the Lancers were 8-of-26 3-pointers.
MMC was 10-of-16 free-throws (62.5 percent). DSU made 7-of-9 free-throws (77.8 percent).
Dakota State outrebounded Mount Marty 41-25 in the game. The Trojans outscored the Lancers 12-3 in second-chance points.
DSU continues their action on the second day of the South Dakota NAIA Basketball Classic on Sunday. The Trojans face No. 10-ranked Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in the nightcap. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon's Heritage Court.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
