December 12, 2018
Photos credit by Nicholas Hauser
GAME-WINNING BASKET AT OVERTIME BUZZER VIDEO
YANKTON, S.D. – Trailing 84-83 with 3.6 seconds remaining, Josh McGreal nailed down the game-winning basket with just 0.2 seconds left to lift Dakota State (S.D.) to an 85-84 overtime thrilling victory over Mount Marty (S.D.) in the non-conference men's basketball contest at Cimpl Arena. The victory also snapped Trojans' five-game losing streak.
Dakota State improved to 3-9 overall record. Mount Marty dropped to 4-10 overall record. DSU won for the 14th time in the last 15 meetings versus MMC, earning a season series split.
The Lancers opened up the game with a 6-0 run in the first minute. Cody Muilenburg ended Trojans' scoring drought with a basket with 18:39 on the clock (DSU trailed 6-2).
Trailing 14-6, three different DSU players – Justin Folkers, Anthony Costello and Brady Elder – scored eight straight points to knot the game at 14-14 with 12:52 left in the first-half.
Mount Marty then went on a 19-7 outburst to grab the game's biggest lead at 35-21 with 6:11 left before intermission.
Down 39-23, the Trojans shut down the Lancers 10-0 in the final 2:05 of the first-half. DSU went 4-of-5 from the field during that stretch, cutting MMC's lead to 39-36 by halftime.
Mount Marty shot 46.4 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes of the game (13-of-28) compared to Dakota State 45.5 percent (15-of-33).
The Trojans continued their scoring run, extending their run to 13-0 to start the second-half with a 3-pointer by Carson Rentz. The game was knotted for the second time at 39-39 with 19:18 left.
With the third tie recorded at 44-44, DSU's McGreal and Anthony Costello each scored four points as part of the 8-0 scoring run to earn a 52-44 lead with 11:06 remaining.
A 3-pointer by Rentz (assist by Elder) gave Trojans a nine-point lead at 55-46 with 10:23 left, forcing the Lancers to burn one of their timeouts.
With DSU leading 65-57, MMC rallied back with a 13-4 run to regain their lead at 70-69 with 1:48 remaining in regulation.
Both DSU and MMC traded leads in the final two minutes of the game. Costello hit a pair of free-throws to give Trojans a 74-42 lead with less than a minute to go.
Colby Johnson knotted the game at 74-74 with less than 45 seconds to go in the game.
The Lancers missed a chance to earn the victory as Jaron Zwagerman missed a 3-point shot at the buzzer, extending the game into extra period.
The Trojans outscored the Lancers 38-35 in the second-half.
DSU took the first lead in overtime at 77-74 after a 3-pointer by Elder with 4:49 on the clock.
With the Trojans holding an 81-78 lead late in overtime, the Lancers went on to score four straight points by Johnson for MMC's first lead in overtime at 82-81 with 2:09 left.
Dakota State regained their lead to 83-82 on the next possession after a pair of free-throws by Costello.
Jailen Billings hit a basket with 3.6 seconds left to give Lancers an 83-82 lead, forcing DSU to call a timeout.
Brady Van Holland made 'Hail Mary' long pass to McGreal from the back court to the front court. McGreal then dribbled down the lane and hit the game-winning basket with just 0.2 seconds left and secured an 84-83 thrilling victory for DSU.
Dakota State was 4-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line in overtime. Mount Marty was 2-of-4 from the field and converted all six free-throws in extra period.
Folkers poured in 27 points (9-of-16 field goals, 3-of-7 3-pointers and 6-of-10 free-throws) and pulled down eight rebounds for the Trojans. McGreal posted a double-double of 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Costello scored 14 points off the bench. Rentz tallied 12 points (3-of-5 field goals, 3-of-4 from the 3-point line and made all three free-throws).
Elder had 11 points and dished out a game-high seven assists for DSU. Muilenburg added five assists. Costello stole the ball twice. Folkers recorded a blocked shot.
Billings tallied a game-high 34 points for the Lancers. He was 12-of-20 from the field, 5-of-9 from the 3-point line and made 5-of-6 free-throws. Johnson added 29 points on his 11-of-19 field goals, 3-of-6 3-pointers and converted all four free-throws. He produced a double-double with 11 rebounds. Riley Devine and Logan Fleming each had eight points.
MMC shot 42.4 percent overall from the field (25-of-59) compared to DSU 41.9 percent (31-of-74). The Trojans went 10-of-30 3-pointers (33.3 percent), while the Lancers were 8-of-20 from the 3-point arc (40 percent).
Mount Marty was near perfect at the free-throw line, making 26 free-throws in 28 attempts (92.9 percent). Dakota State was 13-of-17 free-throws (76.5 percent).
MMC had a slim rebounding edge over DSU 40-39.
The Trojans outscored the Lancers 16-6 in points off turnovers, 18-12 in second-chance points and 25-10 in bench points.
A total of seven ties and seven lead changers were recorded in the game.
Dakota State returns home Saturday to take on nationally-ranked No. 2 Morningside (Iowa) in another non-conference game. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
