February 8, 2019
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Presentation (S.D.) was red-hot from the field in the first-half Friday evening, racing to a 54-38 halftime lead over Dakota State (S.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest at Strode Center. The Saints held off Trojans' second-half comeback, earning an 84-77 victory to complete a season series sweep.
Dakota State dropped their overall record to 9-19 and 4-8 record in North Star contests. Presentation, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 18-8 and 10-2 NSAA conference record.
Justin Folkers scored its first four points of the game to give DSU a 4-0 lead with nineteen minutes and ten seconds on the clock.
Knotted at 10-10, the Saints drained three 3-pointers (Quadre Lollis and a pair from Tayton Maher) to open up a 19-10 lead with 14:02 on the clock. A 3-pointer by Folkers ended DSU's scoring drought on the next possession, trailing 19-13 with 13:40 to go in the first-half.
Presentation ignited a 30-15 scoring surge in nearly ten minutes, widening their lead to 49-28 after a basket by Lollis with 3:48 on the clock.
Mychal Deas drained a 3-pointer to give PC its largest lead of the game at 54-32 with 1:40 remaining before halftime.
Brady Van Holland hit a pair of 3-pointers as part of DSU's 6-0 closing run in the final 1:08 of the second-half, cutting Saints' lead to 54-38.
The Saints shot a sizzling 19-of-34 from the field in the first-half, including 11-of-20 from the 3-point line (55 percent). The Trojans were 45.7 percent from the field (16-of-35) and 6-of-13 3-pointers (46.2 percent) in the first twenty minutes.
PC maintained their lead between 12- and 16-points for more than the first ten minutes of the second-half. A basket by Devonta Brooks gave the Saints a 71-55 lead with 8:31 left.
Dakota State mounted a 10-0 run to cut Presentation's lead to 71-65 after a field goal by Josh McGreal with 5:37 remaining. The Saints, however, answered back with an 8-0 run to regain their double-digit lead at 79-65 with 1:47 to go.
DSU could not get any closer than six points for the second time after a 3-pointer by Van Holland with less than 15 seconds to go (Trojans trailed 83-77).
Dakota State outscored Presentation 39-30 in the final twenty minutes of the game. The Trojans were 44.1 percent from the field (15-of-34) and 6-of-15 pointers (40 percent) in the second-half. The Saints were held to 34.5 percent from the field (10-of-24) and 0-of-7 from the 3-point arc but converted 10-of-14 free-throws.
Folkers led the Trojans with 18 points on his 8-of-17 field goal shooting. He also pulled down four rebounds, recorded a block and a steal. Van Holland added 16 points and dished out three assists. Carson Rentz tallied 16 points. Anthony Costello had 10 points off the bench. McGreal scored nine points and collected five rebounds.
Will Parry dished out four assists for DSU. Brady Elder and Cody Muilenburg each added three assists. Van Holland and Muilenburg each stole the ball twice.
Lollis scored a game-high 28 points for the Saints. He was 8-of-13 from the field and made 11-of-13 free-throws. Brooks produced a double-double of 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Deas had 17 points and seven rebounds. Jalen Guidry dished out seven assists and recorded seven rebounds.
Presentation shot 46 percent overall from the field (29-of-63) compared to Dakota State 44.9 percent (31-of-69). The Trojans drained 12 3-pointers in 28 attempts (42.9 percent), while the Saints were 11-of-27 3-pointers (40.7 percent).
PC was 15-of-19 free-throws (78.9 percent) compared to DSU 3-of-3 free-throws.
Presentation outrebounded Dakota State 48-20. The Trojans outscored the Saints 15-6 in points off turnovers.
Dakota State continues their road trip Saturday evening, visiting Dickinson State (N.D.) in another North Star conference action. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. (Central Time)/5 p.m. (Mountain Time) at Scott Gymnasium in Dickinson, N.D.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
