January 26, 2018
VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) drained 12 3-pointers from seven different players and shot 90 percent from the free-throw line, earning an 84-79 North Star Athletic Association Men's Basketball conference victory over Valley City State (N.D.) at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse. The victory also snapped the Trojans' four-game losing skid and earned their first road victory of the season.
Dakota State improved their overall record to 10-14 and 4-7 NSAA conference record, completing their season series sweep over VCSU. It was the ninth straight year that the Trojans recorded double-digit wins. Valley City State fell to 8-15 overall record and 2-9 NSAA record.
The Vikings maintained the lead for the first three-and-half minutes of the game before the Trojans made a scoring run. Trailing 11-10, DSU earned its first lead of the game at 12-11 after a pair of free-throws by Falcon Albers with 16:16 on the clock. The Trojans then went on a 9-3 run to grab a 21-14 lead after a basket by Maurice Arrington with 13:26 left in the first-half.
VCSU answered back with a 9-2 run to knot the game at 23-all with 9:17 to go before intermission. DSU then answered with a 12-4 outburst to earn the biggest lead of the game at 35-27 after a 3-poitner by Justin Folkers with 5:44 to go in the first period.
Valley City State regained their lead with just a minute left before halftime, using a 14-5 run for a 41-40 lead with 1:02 on the clock. Boomsma made a driving lay-up with just less than five seconds to go to give DSU a 42-41 halftime edge over VCSU.
The Vikings were 17-of-31 from the field (54.8 percent) in the first-half compared to the Trojans 14-of-29 (48.3 percent). The Trojans went 7-of-16 from the 3-point arc, while the Vikings were 4-of-12 3-pointers.
DSU opened up the second-half with a 5-0 run for a 47-41 lead with 17:19 to go. VCSU rallied back with an 8-2 run to tie the game for the fourth time at 49-49 with 15:19 left.
Holding on to a 65-63 lead, Brady Elder and Arrington each hit a 3-pointer to spark Trojans' 8-2 scoring run to regain their largest lead of the game at 73-65 with 4:23 remaining.
VCSU's Justyn Galloway hit a 3-pointer to trim DSU's lead to 79-77 with 1:35 left. Folkers followed up with field goal to give DSU an 81-77 lead with 1:13 remaining.
The Vikings failed to convert their scoring opportunity, extending Trojans' lead to 84-77 after making three free-throws in the final 41 seconds of the game (one free-throw from Arrington and a pair from Folkers).
DSU outscored VCSU 42-38 in the final twenty minutes of the game. Dakota State was 48.1 percent from the field in the second-half (13-of-27 field goals), while Valley City State was 43.8 percent (14-of-32 field goals). The Trojans made 5-of-10 3-pointers and were near perfect from the free-throw line by making 11-of-12 free-throws. VCSU was 5-of-13 3-pointers and 5-of-7 free-throws in the second-half.
Five Trojans scored in double digits, led by Folkers with 20 points off the bench (6-of-11 field goals and 7-of-8 free-throws). Arrington added 16 points. Elder and Albers each tallied 11 points. Keeon Johnson scored 10 points.
Boomsma pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds for Dakota State. He also had a game-high eight assists and scored seven points. He stole the ball four times. Johnson registered three steals and earned six rebounds. Arrington recorded two blocks.
Jayden Ferguson led the Vikings with 26 points on his 10-of-14 field goals and 4-of-4 free-throws. He had three assists. Rashad Satahoo added 21 points (9-of-15 field goals). Galloway had 19 points and nine rebounds.
DSU shot 48.2 percent overall from the field (27-of-56) and 12-of-26 from the 3-point line (46.2 percent). VCSU was 49.2 percent from the field (31-of-63) and 9-of-25 3-pointers (36 percent).
The Trojans made 18-of-20 free-throws (90 percent). VCSU went to the free-throw 11 times, making 8 free-throws (72.7 percent).
The Vikings outrebounded the Trojans 32-26. DSU's bench outscored VCSU's bench 42-9 and 14-6 in points off turnovers.
Dakota State concludes their six-game North Star road stretch, visiting the NSAA's co-conference leader Dickinson State (N.D.). Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. (Central Time)/5 p.m. (Mountain Time) at Scott Gymnasium in Dickinson, N.D.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
