January 20, 2019

Photos credit by Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) scored the game's first seven points in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball action at DSU Fieldhouse Sunday afternoon.  The Trojans never trailed in the game, cruising to an 86-64 victory over Waldorf (Iowa).

Dakota State improved to 8-15 overall record and moved into a three-way tie for fourth place in the North Star conference standings with a 3-4 record.  Waldorf lost their fifth straight game, falling to 5-15 overall record and 1-6 NSAA conference record.

Justin Folkers scored the first four points of the game to give DSU a 4-0 lead.  Carson Rentz made a 3-pointer to widen the lead to 7-0 with 17:53 on the clock for the Trojans.

Brady Kuchinka went 1-of-2 from the free-throw line to end WU's scoring drought (DSU led 7-1).  Rentz answered back with another 3-pointer for Trojans' 10-1 lead with 17:04 left in the first period.

The Warriors could not get any closer than four points at 12-8 after a basket by Demitrius Martin with 14:04 on the clock in the first.  The Trojans maintained control for the rest of the game.

DSU went on a 6-0 run after going 3-of-3 from the field (field goals from Brady Van Holland and two straight by Anthony Costello) for the first double-digit lead of the game at 18-8 with less than 12 minutes to play in the first-half.

The Trojans led 38-24 by halftime, thanks to their 50 percent field goal shooting (16-of-32) and 4-of-10 from the 3-point line.  The Warriors were held to 30 percent from the field (9-of-30) and 3-of-11 3-pointers in the first-half.

With DSU leading 46-30, the Warriors went on a 7-0 scoring run to cut their deficit into single digit at 46-37 after a 3-pointer by Martin.  Then, the Trojans scored the next five points to regain their double-digit lead for the rest of the game.

Waldorf shot 9-of-11 from the field (81.8 percent) while Dakota State was 73.3 percent from the field (11-of-15) through the first ten-plus minutes of the second-half.  The Trojans led 66-48 at the second-half media timeout.

Rentz drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Brady Elder) gave DSU its largest lead of the game at 78-52 with 3:27 remaining.

DSU outscored WU 48-40 in the second-half to secure the victory.  Both teams only missed nine shots in the final twenty minutes of the game, with the Trojans shooting a blazing 66.7 percent (18-of-27) while the Warriors were 62.5 percent (15-of-24).

Rentz tallied season-highs 23 points and six assists for Dakota State.  He was 8-of-12 from the field, including 7-of-10 from the 3-point arc.  His seven 3-pointers tied for seventh for most 3-point field goals made in the single-game school record book.  Folkers added 22 points on his 9-of-18 field goals and converted all four free-throws.

Another Trojan had a season-high in points with Costello scoring 19 points off the bench.  He was 9-of-13 from the field and added a free-throw.  Van Holland had 13 points (5-of-8 field goals).

Folkers and Mitchell Biever (season-high) each pulled down six rebounds for DSU.  Elder contributed a game-high eight assists.  Van Holland had five rebounds, four assists and three steals.  Cody Muilenburg registered two blocked shots and dished out four assists.

Martin led the Warriors with 23 points.  He shot 8-of-14 from the field and made all six free-throw attempts.  Kuchinka added 11 points and produced four assists.  Shay Motter scored nine points. 

Dakota State shot a blazing 57.6 percent overall from the field (34-of-59).  The Trojans hit 10-of-18 3-pointers (55.6 percent).  Waldorf was 44.4 percent from the field (24-of-54) and 6-of-17 3-pointers (35.3 percent).

WU was 10-of-12 free-throws (83.3 percent), while DSU was 8-of-11 free-throws (72.7 percent).

DSU outrebounded WU 31-27 in the game.  The Trojans outscored the Warriors 34-28 inside the paint and 24-8 in bench points.

Dakota State begins their second-half portion of the North Star conference schedule on the road next weekend.  The Trojans face Viterbo (Wis.) and Waldorf for the second consecutive weekend.  DSU takes on VU Friday evening at 7:30 p.m.  The game will be played at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium in La Crosse, Wis.

Waldorf returns home after their four-game North Star conference trip Friday evening.  The Warriors host the NSAA's co-leader Bellevue (Neb.).  The game is set for 7:30 p.m. at Hanson Fieldhouse in Forest City, Iowa.

Both DSU and WU will meet for the second NSAA conference meet next Saturday at 5 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director