January 19, 2020

Photos credit by Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – Holding a slim 37-34 halftime edge Sunday evening, Mayville State (N.D.) opened the second-half with a 22-4 outburst to defeat Dakota State (S.D.) 78-68 in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball conference game at DSU Fieldhouse. 

The Trojans, despite a career-night by Anthony Costello, dropped their overall record to 5-14 and 1-3 NSAA conference record.  The red-hot Comets extended their winning streak to 10 games, raising their overall record to 14-2 and remained undefeated in North Star conference play with a 4-0 record

The game was originally scheduled for last Friday (Jan. 17), but severe winter storm had prompted to move the game to Sunday evening.

Dakota State stays home Friday evening for another two-game North Star weekend series at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans host Waldorf (Iowa) on Friday at 7:30 p.m., followed by another home contest on Saturday at 5 p.m. versus Viterbo (Wis.).

Mayville State remains on the road as they visit Valley City State (N.D.) in the North Star contest on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

(24) Mayville State (N.D.) 78, Dakota State (S.D.) 68 – FINAL

• The Trojans opened the game with a basket by Costello, followed by a 3-pointer by Brady Van Holland for a 5-0 lead with 18 minutes and 57 seconds on the clock.
• Mayville State made their first basket of the game by Jalen Valverde with 18:03 on the clock (DSU led 5-2).
• The first twenty minutes of the game saw a total of three ties and seven lead changes between the Trojans and the Comets, with the lead no bigger than six points by DSU.
• Trailing 19-15, Costello hit ten straight points in DSU's 10-0 scoring outburst to regain their lead to 25-19 with less than nine minutes to go before intermission.
• Mayville State answered with an 8-0 run, thanks to three different scorers (Latrelle Franklin, Malachi Wharry and Simon Ramirez) to earn a 27-25 led with 7:45 left in the first.
• Costello hit a basket to trim MSU's lead to 35-34 with 42 seconds left in the first-half.  Rene Melendez answered with field goal to give the Comets a 37-34 lead by halftime.
• Dakota State shot a blazing 53.6 percent from the field (15-of-28 field goals) compared to Mayville State 42.9 percent (15-of-35 field goals) in the first-half.
• The Comets opened the second-half by missing just one shot in 10 tries (9-of-10 field goals), sparking a 22-4 scoring surge to balloon their lead of the game at 59-38 with 14:21 left.  Melendez hit three straight 3-piont field goals during the scoring outburst.  DSU was limited to 2-of-8 from the field during MSU's scoring run.
• Thomas Gieske hit a basket inside the paint to give the Comets the biggest lead of the game at 68-45 with 10:12 remaining.
• Mayville State maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game.  Dakota State closed the game by outscoring the Comets 12-2 in the final 2:12 of the game.
• MSU outscored DSU 41-34 in the second-half.  The Comets were 17-of-30 from the field (56.7 percent) compared to the Trojans 14-of-30 field goals (46.7 percent).
• Costello poured in a career-high 38 points for Dakota State (23 points in the first-half on his 11-of-17 field goals).  He tied for 10th-most points scored in a single game with Rick Dunlap (1986-87 season versus Dordt, Iowa) in the Trojan men's basketball record book.
• Costello was 18-of-31 from the field.  His 18 field goals made is the second-most in the single-game school record (Floyd Johnson holds the single-game school record of 21 field goals made in 1992-93 versus Teikyo-Westmar, Iowa).  Costello also produced a double-double of 12 rebounds and stole the ball three times.
• Van Holland added 12 points (4-of-7 field goals, including 3-of-5 3-pointers) and three assists for DSU.  Sawyer Koch had eight points and pulled down five rebounds.  He also had a block.  Brady Elder had seven points and dished out four assists.
• Carson Rentz and Kellan Benck each produced five assists for Dakota State.  Rentz stole the ball two times.
• Mayville State used a balanced scoring attack with four players in double-digits, paced by Max Cooper with 21 points (10-of-15 field goals).  He also pulled down eight rebounds.  Melende added 14 points.  Franklin scored 13 points.  Valverde had 12 points.
• Franklin and Valverde each dished out six assists for the Comets.  Franklin had three steals.  Iker Cruz grabbed 10 rebounds.  Ramirez scored nine points off the bench.
• Dakota State shot 50 percent overall from the field (29-of-58 field goals) compared to Mayville State 49.2 percent (32-of-65 field goals).  The Comets drained 10 3-pointers in 22 tries (45.5 percent), while the Trojans were 5-of-14 3-poineters (35.7 percent).
• MSU was 4-of-5 free-throws (80 percent).  DSU was 5-of-9 from the free-throw line (55.6 percent).
• Mayville State outrebounded Dakota State 40-25.  The Comets outscored the Trojans 42-22 inside the points and 18-3 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director