February 17, 2018
BELLEVUE, Neb. – The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Men's Basketball regular-season champion Bellevue (Neb.) stormed to a 13-0 lead Saturday evening at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center as they never trailed in the game for an 89-72 victory. The Bruins won their sixth straight game, while halting Trojans' four-game winning streak.
Dakota State closed out their regular-season schedule with an overall record of 14-16. The Trojans finished in a three-way tie for sixth-place in the league standings. Bellevue, receiving votes in the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, raised their overall record to 20-10 and 11-5 record in North Star conference play.
The Trojans missed their first six shots of the game as the Bruins reeled off with 13 straight points for a 13-0 lead with sixteen minutes and nineteen seconds on the clock. BU was 5-of-10 from the field during that span.
Falcon Albers made a basket to snap DSU's scoring drought with 15:51 to go in the first-half (Trojans trailed 13-2).
Dakota State trimmed their deficit into single digit, cutting BU's lead to 31-24 with 7:02 remaining before halftime. The Bruins answered back by scoring 10 straight points to extend their lead to 41-24 with 3:43 on the clock.
Bellevue held a 48-36 halftime lead over Dakota State. The Bruins were 18-of-36 from the field (50 percent), including 6-of-11 from the 3-point line in the first-half. The Trojans were 15-of-33 field goals (45.5 percent) and 2-of-10 3-pointers.
DSU could get no closer than 10 points on four different occasions in the second-half (48-38 with 19:06 left; 50-40 with 18:49 remaining; 52-42 with 17:12 to go and 57-47 with 15:18 left).
BU maintained their double digit lead for the rest of the second-half, leading as many as 19 points. The Bruins outscored the Trojans 41-36 in the final twenty minutes of the game.
Four Trojans scored in double digits, led by Kevin Daniels with 17 points (7-of-15 field goals). Justin Folkers added 16 points. Josh McGreal scored 15 points off the bench on his 6-of-7 field goals and 3-of-4 from the 3-point line. Keeon Johnson tallied 12 points.
Brendon Boomsma dished out three assists for Dakota State. McGreal had two steals.
Maurice Arrington grabbed seven rebounds for DSU. Johnson and Folkers each had six rebounds. Folkers registered three blocks.
Richard Reed led the Bruins with 18 points. BJ Shelton added 17 points after going 8-of-9 from the field and 1-of-3 from the free-throw line. Jaffery Stillman posted a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. Nick Hilton had 13 points.
Hilton produced four assists for Bellevue. Jalen Hall, Shelton and Austin Moore each had three assists.
BU shot 47.2 percent overall from the field (34-of-72) compared to DSU 45.3 percent (29-of-64). The Bruins were 9-of-24 from the 3-point line, while the Trojans were 5-of-17 3-pointers.
Both teams struggled from the free-throw line with the Bruins making 12-of-18 free-throws (66.7 percent). DSU was 9-of-15 free-throws (60 percent).
The Bruins outreounded the Trojans 42-40 in the game.
Dakota State will be the No. 6 seed (owned tiebreaker over Viterbo, Wis. and Valley City State, N.D.) for the upcoming North Star Men's Basketball Conference Postseason Tournament. The Trojans head to Dickinson, N.D. to take on No. 3 seed Dickinson State (N.D.). The game will be held at Scott Gymnasium with a tip-off at 8 p.m. (Central Time)/7 p.m. (Mountain Time).
Bellevue remains home as they host No. 8 seed Valley City State (N.D.) in the opening round of NSAA conference tournament. The game is also at 7 p.m.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
