November 21, 2020

MADISON, S.D. – Manhattan Christian (Kan.) shot 53.6 percent overall from the field Saturday evening, spoiling Dakota State's (S.D.) season home men's basketball opener at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Thunder won by the score of 72-62, limiting the Trojans to 34.4 percent field goal shooting.

DSU was playing their first home game of the season Saturday.  MCC earned its first win of the season (1-6 overall record).

Dakota State heads to Fremont, Neb. on Friday afternoon for a contest with Midland (Neb.) in the Draemel Classic.  Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at the Events Center on the campus of Midland.

Manhattan Christian (Kan.) 72, Dakota State (S.D.) 62 – FINAL

• Dakota State went on an 8-2 scoring tear to break a 4-4 tie into a 12-6 lead with thirteen minutes and thirty-three seconds left in the first half, thanks to back-to-back 3-pointer by Gavin Schipper.
• After three straight baskets by the Thunder from three different players (RJ Johnson III, Tanner Heiden and Nate Awbrey) to cut DSU's lead to 12-11, the Trojans went on another scoring run. 
• The Trojans used an 11-2 outburst to earn its first double-digit lead of the game at 23-13 after a 3-pointer by Brady Van Holland with 9:15 on the clock in the first half.
• With DSU leading 27-20, Manhattan Christian put together a 13-0 scoring run to regain their lead at 33-27 after a basket by Johnson III with 2:07 left before intermission.
• Jordan Lynn scored the final four points of the first half as the Trojans cut MCC's lead to 33-31. 
• The Thunder shot 15-of-29 from the field in the first twenty minutes of the game (15-of-29 field goals) compared to the Trojans 11-of-33 field goals (33.3 percent).
• Dakota State tied the game for the third time at 33-33 after a pair of free-throws by Gare Ewefada with 19:29 remaining. 
• Manhattan Christian then took control of their lead, stretching their lead to 49-40 after a 3-pointer by Jordan White with 14:24 left in the game.
• The Trojans could get no closer than five points at 49-44 when Schipper scored a field goal with 12:49 remaining.
• The Thunder went on a 19-6 outburst to record the biggest lead of the game at 68-50 with 4:28 left.
• MCC outscored DSU 39-31 in the final twenty minutes of the game to secure the victory.  Manhattan Christian shot 55.6 percent from the field (15-of-27 field goals), while holding DSU to 35.5 percent from the field (11-of-31 field goals).
• Schipper scored a career-high 20 points on his 7-of-15 field goals, including 6-of-9 3-pointers for the Trojans.  He dished out five assists and recorded a blocked shot.  Josh McGreal added eight points.  Van Holland and Ronnie Latting each tailed seven points.
• Latting pulled down eight rebounds for DSU.  Ewefada added four rebounds.  Lynn and Carson Rentz each had three assists.  Lynn stole the ball twice.
• White led the Thunder with 14 points (5-of-8 field goals and 3-of-3 3-pointers) and contributed six assists.  Heiden added 13 points (6-of-11 field goals) and five rebounds.  Awbrey added 10 points and three assists.  Garrett Harmision had eight points.  Isiah Collier had five assists and five rebounds.
• Manhattan Christian was 30-of-56 from the field compared to Dakota State 22-of-64 field goals.  The Trojans drained 11 3-pointers in 25 tries, while the Thunder was 7-of-14 from the 3-point arc.  DSU was 7-of-13 free-throws (53.8 percent) compared to MCC 5-of-7 free-throws (71.4 percent).
• The Thunder outrebounded the Trojans 40-34.  MCC outscored DSU 36-12 inside the paint and 37-18 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director