December 15, 2018

Photos credit by Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – No. 2-ranked Morningside (Iowa) used a balanced scoring attack Saturday afternoon with 13 different players scoring at least three points, cruising past Dakota State (S.D.) 95-60 in the non-conference men's basketball action at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Mustangs drained 17 3-pointers and outrebounded the Trojans 42-22.

Dakota State fell to 3-10 overall record.  Morningside, who advanced to the quarterfinals last season at the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament, remained undefeated with an overall record of 12-0.  MC defeated DSU 104-75 in the first meeting this season in Fremont, Neb., extending their winning streak to six games in the series meeting.

The Trojans and Mustangs exchanged leads 11 times in the first eight-plus minutes of the game, with the biggest lead coming from DSU at 15-11 with 14:40 on the clock after a basket by Justin Folkers.

Trailing 19-18, MC went on to score 17 straight points to earn a 36-19 lead with 7:29 left before intermission.  During the scoring outburst, Morningside shot 5-of-7 from the field including 4-of-5 from the 3-point line while Dakota State missed its eight shots.

The Mustangs outscored the Trojans 31-10 in the final 11:43 of the first-half, ballooning their lead to 50-28.

Morningside shot 20-of-35 from the field (57.1 percent) in the first-half compared to Dakota State 12-of-30 field goals (40 percent).  The Mustangs went 9-of-15 from the 3-point arc, while the Trojans were 3-of-7 3-pointers.  MC outrebounded DSU 26-8 (10-3 on offensive boards) in the first twenty minutes.

DSU could get no closer than 22 points at 52-30 as MC secured the victory by maintaining their double-digit lead for the rest of the game.

Morningside outscored Dakota State 45-32 in the second-half.  The Mustangs were 18-of-34 from the field (52.9 percent) and 8-of-18 3-pointers.  The Trojans went 13-of-27 field goals (48.1 percent) and 2-of-9 3-pointers.

Folkers led DSU with a game-high 23 points on his 10-of-17 field goal shooting and converted both free-throws.  He also had four rebounds.  Brady Van Holland tallied 11 points off the bench.  Anthony Costello added 10 points. 

Carson Rentz scored eight points, dished out five assists, grabbed four rebounds and stole the ball three times for Dakota State.  Josh McGral had seven points.  Brady Elder registered three assists.  Cody Muilenburg had a blocked shot.

Matt Hahn had 15 points for the Mustangs.  Pierce Almond and Trey Brown each added 12 points.  Ben Hoskins scored 11 points.  Trystan Cummins grabbed six rebounds.

Fourteen MC players recorded at least an assist in the game, totaling 26 assists on 38 field goals.  Zach Imig had five assists.  Brody Egger and Cummins each had two steals.

Morningside shot a blazing 55.1 percent from the field (38-of-69 field goals) compared to Dakota State 43.9 percent (25-of-57 field goals).  The Mustangs were 17-of-33 from the beyond the 3-point line (51.5 percent).  The Trojans were 5-of-16 3-pointers (31.3 percent).

DSU converted 5-of-6 free-throws (83.3 percent).  MC was 2-of-4 free-throws (50 percent).

Morningside outrebounded Dakota State 14-5 on offensive boards and 28-17 on defensive rebounds.  The Mustangs outscored the Trojans 17-8 on second-chance points.  Morningside also outscored Dakota State 56-21 in bench points.

DSU outscored MC 13-4 in points off turnovers.

Dakota State heads on the road to Kyle, S.D. on Monday evening for another non-conference action.  The Trojans visit Oglala Lakota (S.D.) with a tip-off scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (Central Time)/5:30 p.m. (Mountain Time).  The game is set to be played at the multi-purpose gym on the campus of Oglala Lakota.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director