January 4, 2020

Photos credits by Donald Weidler and Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State shook off their slow start Saturday evening, shooting a blazing 51.4 percent in the second-half to roll past Oglala Lakota (S.D.) 91-59 in the men's basketball non-conference action at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans snapped their five-game losing skid to earn their first win of the 2020 year.

Dakota State improved to 4-12 overall record and won all six meetings with OLC when the series began in 2012.  The Bravehearts fell to 0-2 overall record.

DSU returns to the full slate of North Star Athletic Association conference play next weekend.  The Trojans visit Valley City State (N.D.) on Friday evening at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.  The game is set for 7:30 p.m.  Next Saturday, Dakota State heads to Scott Gymnasium to take on Dickinson State with a game time starting at 6 p.m. (Central Time)/5 p.m. (Mountain Time).

Dakota State (S.D.) 91, Oglala Lakota (S.D.) 59 – FINAL

• Dakota State and Oglala Lakota went through two ties and eight lead changes through the first seven minutes of the game.
• Leading 19-17, DSU went on a 7-0 scoring run (four points from Anthony Costello and a 3-pointer from Mason Ritter) to balloon their lead to 26-17 with 6:12 to go in the first-half.
• Carson Rentz nailed down a pair of free-throws to give Trojans its first double-digit lead of the game at 30-19 with 5:26 on the clock.  DSU stretched its lead to 38-19 with 2:45 to go in the first-half, thanks to Rentz's seven points during the scoring outburst.
• The Trojans held a 41-25 halftime advantage over the Bravehearts.  Both teams struggled from the field, with DSU recording 35.1 percent field goal shooting (13-of-37 field goals) compared to OLC 32 percent clipping (8-of-25 field goals). 
• The Bravehearts were 6-of-15 from the 3-point arc in the first-half, while the Trojans were 2-of-14 3-pointers.  Dakota State hit 13-of-18 free-throws while Oglala Lakota was 3-of-5 free-throws.
• DSU maintained its double-digit lead for the rest of the game, outscoring OLC 50-34 in the second-half.  Cole Bruhn drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Rentz) to give Trojans its biggest lead of the game at 89-55 with less than two minutes to go.
• The Trojans shot 19-of-37 from the field in the final twenty minutes of the game and held the Bravehearts to 29.8 percent (14-of-47 field goals).
• Four DSU players scored in double digits, paced by Rentz's 23 points (tied career-high, last time versus Waldorf, Iowa on Jan. 20, 2019).  He also had six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
• Anthony Costello posted a double-double of 17 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for Dakota State.  He was 7-of-12 from the field.  Bruhn scored a season-high 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds.  Brady Van Holland tallied 11 points and produced three assists.
• Sawyer Koch scored nine points and earned ten rebounds off the bench for the Trojans.  Gare Ewefada had seven points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists.  Ritter dished out a game-high five assists.  Gavin Schipper had three assists and two steals.
• Robert Shangreaux led the Bravehearts with a double-double of 20 points and pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds.  Tyrone Pourier added 11 points off the bench.  Ash Featherman had three assists.  Jesse Jensen stole the ball three times.
• DSU shot 43.2 percent overall from the field (32-of-74 field goals) compared to OLC 30.6 percent (22-of-72 field goals).  The Trojans were 11-of-39 3-pointers, while the Bravehearts were 10-of-36 from the 3-point arc.
• Dakota State converted 16-of-23 free-throws.  Oglala Lakota was 5-of-7 from the free-throw line. 
• The Trojans collected a season-high 55 rebounds compared to the Bravehearts 44 rebounds.  DSU outscored OLC 14-11 in points off turnovers, 38-22 inside the paint, 18-6 in second-chance points and 39-24 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director