December 3, 2017
PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu and Donald Weidler
KEEON JOHNSON'S SLAM DUNK VIDEO
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.), trailing as many as 23 points Sunday afternoon at DSU Fieldhouse, stormed back for a 72-63 North Star Athletic Association men's basketball conference victory over Presentation (S.D.). The game saw two different halves by both teams as the Saints raced to a 17-point halftime lead, while the Trojans outscored PC 45-19 in the final twenty minutes of the game.
Dakota State, receiving votes in the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, won their fourth straight game, raising their overall record to 7-4 and 2-0 record in North Star conference games. Presentation fell to 4-6 overall record and 0-2 NSAA conference record.
The Saints scored the first four points of the game for a 4-0 lead. Maurice Arrington drained a 3-pointer as DSU trailed 4-3 with 18:22 on the clock in the first-half.
PC went on an 11-0 run to extend their lead to 15-3 with 13:29 on the clock. The Trojans missed eight shots during the scoring drought.
Presentation posted its biggest lead of the game at 32-9 after shooting 15-of-19 from the field (78.9 percent) in the first 13 minutes, forcing Dakota State to call their second timeout of the first-half. DSU was 3-of-19 from the field (15.8 percent).
Coming out from timeout, the Trojans answered making five consecutive baskets – all by Kevin Daniels – as part of their 14-2 outburst to trim PC's lead to 34-23 with 4:16 remaining before intermission.
Daniels made a driving lay-up just seconds before the halftime buzzer as the Trojans trailed 44-27. The Trojans were 7-of-11 from the field in the last seven minutes of the first-half.
The Saints shot a blazing 78.3 percent from the field (18-of-23) in the first twenty minutes of the game, while the Trojans struggled from the field by shooting 33.3 percent (10-of-30).
Dakota State stormed with an 11-1 scoring run – with eight points coming from Arrington and a 3-pointer by Brendon Boomsma – to kick off the second-half, trimming down PC's lead to single-digit by seven points at 45-38 with 18:03 left. During that scoring run, the Trojans were 4-of-4 from the field.
Down 53-43, DSU used another 15-1 outburst to earn their first lead of the game midway through the second-half. Josh McGreal made a basket to give DSU their first lead of the game at 55-54 with 10:35 left, followed by a 3-point play by McGreal to increase DSU's lead to 58-54 with 10:11 remaining.
Quadre Lollis made back-to-back field goals as the Saints answered back to knot the game at 58-58 with 8:44 left.
Trailing 60-58, Dakota State limited Presentation to just three points in the final 7:25 of the game. The Trojans finished the game with a 15-3 surge, including a monstrous dunk by Keeon Johnson (assisted by Daniels) that put DSU up 70-60 with 1:51 left.
Dakota State was 5-of-9 from the field in the final 7:25 while Presentation was just 1-of-10 from the field – including missing seven straight shots.
The Trojans were 17-of-29 from the field (58.6 percent) in the second-half, including 8-of-18 from the 3-point arc (44.4 percent). The Saints were held to 5-of-27 field goals (18.5 percent) and 2-of-9 3-pointers.
Johnson poured in 22 points for DSU. He was 9-of-14 from the field and 4-of-8 from the 3-point line. Daniels added 18 points. Arrington scored 13 points. Boomsma tallied eight points.
Arrington pulled down eight rebounds for Dakota State. Boomsma had five rebounds.
Daniels produced a game-high eight assists for the Trojans. Arrington added five assists. Johnson and Boomsma each dished out three assists. Johnson stole the ball twice.
Julius Jackson led the Saints with a game-high 27 points, with 21 points coming in the first-half. He was 8-of-20 from the field, 2-of-7 from the 3-point line and 9-of-11 free-throws. Deiontay added 13 points. Marcus Gatlin scored 11 points. Lollis had eight points.
Adam White and Jackson each grabbed eight rebounds for Presentation. Lollis had seven rebounds. Gatlin dished out three assists. Jackson had two steals.
Presentation shot 46.0 percent overall from the field (23-of-50) compared to Dakota State 45.8 percent (27-of-59). The Trojans drained 12 3-pointers in 37 attempts (32.4 percent), while the Saints were 5-of-16 3-pointers (31.3 percent).
PC went to the free-throw line 16 times, making 12 free-throws (75 percent). DSU was 6-of-8 free-throws.
The Saints outrebounded the Trojans 33-31. DSU dished out 22 assists compared to PC 10 assists.
Dakota State steps aside their North Star conference play on Saturday (Dec. 9), visiting top-ranked Northwestern (Iowa) in a non-conference contest. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. in Orange City, Iowa.
Presentation plays an exhibition game Monday evening at NCAA Division II Northern State (S.D.). The game is set for 8 p.m. at the Barnett Center in Aberdeen.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
