December 2, 2019

SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojan men's basketball team played their final exhibition game contest Monday evening, visiting former long-time conference foe and current NCAA Division II Black Hills State (S.D.) at Donald E. Young Gymnasium.  The Yellow Jackets never trailed in the game, rolling past Trojans by the score of 91-53.

Dakota State remains at 3-8 overall record.  Black Hills State, a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), improved to 3-3 overall record.

It was the first time since the 2012 season that the Trojans and Yellow Jackets met, splitting a season series with each team winning on its home court (Black Hills State was transitioning to NCAA Division II after leaving the former Dakota Athletic Conference).

Dakota State returns home Saturday evening as they open their 14-game North Star Athletic Association conference slate at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans welcome Bellevue (Neb.) with a tip-off starting at 5 p.m.

Black Hills State (S.D.) 91, Dakota State (S.D.) 53 – FINAL

• There was one tie in the early going at 2-2 after a basket by DSU's Cole Bruhn with seventeen minutes and 59 seconds on the clock in the first-half.
• Holding a slim 5-4 lead, Black Hills State stormed with a 15-0 scoring outburst to widen their lead to 20-4 with 13:06 left in the first period.
• The Trojans trimmed the Yellow Jackets' lead down to 10 points at 25-15 after a field goal by Anthony Costello with nearly 10 minutes to go before halftime.
• Black Hills State ballooned their lead to 45-27 by halftime, fueled by 64.3 field goal percentage (18-of-28 field goals) by BHSU.  The Trojans were 13-of-29 from the field (44.8 percent) in the first twenty minutes of the game.
• The Yellow Jackets maintained control for the rest of the game, outscoring the Trojans 46-26 in the second-half.  BHSU was 52.8 percent from the field (19-of-36 field goals) compared to DSU 45.8 percent (11-of-24 field goals) in the final twenty minutes of the game.
• Gare Ewefada led the Trojans with 22 points.  He was 10-of-17 from the field.  He also dished out three assists and stole the ball once.  Costello added 13 points (6-of-12 field goals).  He also had two assists.
• Brady Van Holland scored 10 points off the bench for DSU.  Brady Elder grabbed four rebounds.  Carson Rentz and Shaq Russell each recorded two steals.
• Five BHSU players hit double digits in the game, led by Joel Scott with 24 points on his 9-of-12 field goal shooting.  Antonio Capley posted a double-double of 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.  Tyler Oliver had 14 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.  Jordan McGlory and Stefan Desnica each scored 10 points. 
• Black Hills State shot a blazing 57.8 percent overall from the field (37-of-64) compared to Dakota State 45.3 percent (24-of-53 field goals).  The Yellow Jackets hit 8-of-18 3-pointers, while the Trojans were 4-of-15 3-pointers.
• BHSU was 9-of-15 from the free-throw line.  DSU was 1-of-6 free-throws.
• Black Hills State outrebounded Dakota State 45-17. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director