January 6, 2018
Photos credits by Donald Weidler
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) held off Valley City State's (N.D.) sizzling second-half shooting Saturday evening at DSU Fieldhouse, snapping a six-game losing skid with an 82-78 North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Men's Basketball conference victory.
The win lifted the Trojans' overall record to 8-10 and moved into a three-way tie for fourth place in the NSAA conference standings with Bellevue (Neb.) and Jamestown (N.D.) (3-3 NSAA conference record). The Vikings dropped their overall record to 7-12 and 1-6 record in NSAA conference games.
DSU and VCSU went through three lead changes and two ties in the first four minutes and forty-seven seconds of the game. The Trojans held their lead between one- and six-points for the majority of the first-half.
Holding on to a 28-27 lead, Dakota State went on a 7-0 run (3-pointer by Keeon Johnson and a pair of baskets by Josh McGreal) to gain the largest lead of the game at 35-27 with 3:33 remaining before intermission.
Valley City State answered back with a pair of 3-pointers by Rashad Satahoo to cut DSU's lead to 35-33 with 2:11 left in the first-half.
Tied at 37-37, the Trojans ended the first-half with a driving lay-up by Kevin Daniels to earn a 39-37 lead. DSU was 17-of-31 from the field (54.8 percent) in the first twenty minutes compared to VCSU 13-of-29 field goals (44.8 percent). The Vikings drained 6-of-7 from the 3-point line while the Trojans were 5-of-12 3-pointers.
Valley City State opened up the second-half by going 5-of-5 from the field, including a perfect 3-of-3 from the 3-point arc to regain their lead at 50-45 with 16:26 remaining. The Trojans answered back with a 7-0 spurt, including a 3-pointer by McGreal for a 52-50 lead with 14:22 left.
The Vikings continued their hot shooting with another back-to-back 3-pointers by Denzel Washington and Satahoo for a 56-52 lead with 12:23 to go. VCSU maintained their lead between one- and four-point for a span of six minutes.
Both teams battled back-and-forth midway through the second-half, recording 10 lead changes and 3 ties before the Trojans pulled away late.
A 3-pointer by Daniels regained the lead at 72-70 with four minutes remaining in the game. After a free-throw by VCSU's Jayden Ferguson to cut DSU's lead to 72-71, DSU scored four straight points to balloon their lead to 76-71 after a pair of free-throws by Folkers with 1:49 remaining.
Valley City State could get no closer than one point at 76-75 with a pair of free-throws by Ferguson with less than 35 seconds to go.
Dakota State secured the game by making 6-of-6 free-throws in the final 30 seconds of the game (a pair free-throws each by Johnson, Maurice Arrington and Daniels), widening their lead to 82-75.
Satahoo hit a 3-pointer when the time expired for the Vikings.
DSU outscored VCSU 43-41 in the second-half. The Vikings shot 59.1 percent from the field in the second-half (13-of-22), including 6-of-9 3-pointers. The Trojans were 42.3 percent (11-of-26) and 6-of-13 3-pointers in the final twenty minutes of the game.
Folkers poured in a career-high 28 points for Dakota State. He was 9-of-17 from the field and converted 7-of-10 free-throws. Johnson added 16 points (5-of-9 field goals, including 4-of-8 3-pointers). McGreal tallied 13 points off the bench. Brendon Boomsma had seven points. Arrington scored six points.
Daniels had nine points for the Trojans. He dished out a career-high 12 assists, which tied for fourth-most assists in DSU men's basketball single-game record book. Arrington and Boomsma each added three assists. Johnson stole the ball twice.
Arrington and Boomsma each grabbed five rebounds for DSU. Johnson had four rebounds. Folkers recorded two blocks.
Ferguson led the Vikings with 21 points (9-of-10 free-throws). Satahoo added 19 points, where he went 7-of-11 from the field including a perfect 5-of-5 from the 3-point line. Austin Dunbar and Alex Quist each tallied 12 points.
Justyn Galloway had six points and pulled down 11 rebounds for VCSU. Dunbar and Jouvon Edison each had five rebounds.
Ferguson registered four assists for Valley City State. Galloway and Satahoo each had three assists.
VCSU shot 51 percent overall from the field (26-of-51) compared to DSU 49.1 percent (28-of-57). The Vikings shot 75 percent from the 3-point line (12-of-16), while the Trojans were 11-of-25 3-pointers (44 percent).
Dakota State made 15-of-18 free-throws, with 15-of-17 free-throws coming in the final twenty minutes of the game. Valley City State was 14-of-19 from the free-throw line (73.7 percent).
The Vikings outrebounded the Trojans 32-25.
DSU outscored VCSU 16-7 in points off turnovers, 22-18 inside the paint and 16-8 in bench points.
Dakota State concludes their three-game home stand Tuesday evening, hosting in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.). Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.
Valley City State continues their five-game North Star conference stretch, visiting Viterbo (Wis.) next Saturday. The game is scheduled for 5 p.m. at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium in La Crosse, Wis.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
Many, thank you to the Madison High School Band for playing at the DSU Fieldhouse!
