November 27, 2020

FREMONT, Neb. – Midland (Neb.) drained 11 3-pointers Friday afternoon, holding off Dakota State (S.D.) 64-51 in the Draemel Classic men's basketball action at Events Center.  The Warriors held a 33-24 halftime lead and maintained their double-digit lead throughout the second half.

Dakota State fell to 0-2 overall record.  Midland, a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, improved to 2-5 overall record.

The Trojans stay on the road Wednesday evening as they face another GPAC opponent.  DSU visits their long-time rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) at the Corn Palace.  Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Mitchell, S.D.

Midland (Neb.) 64, Dakota State (S.D.) 51 – FINAL

• Dakota State opened the game with three straight steals (Josh McGreal, Ronnie Latting and Brady Van Holland) on three straight Midland's possession in the first one minute and twenty seconds of the game.
• The Trojans grabbed its first lead of the game after Van Holland's steal, followed by McGreal's basket for a 2-0 lead with 18:38 on the clock.
• Both teams went through five ties and three lead changes before the Warriors closed the first half with a nine-point lead.  Knotted at 18-18, the Warriors went on a 6-0 run after a 3-point play by Kyle Castille followed by a 3-pointer by Arturo Montes for 24-18 lead with 6:32 on the clock.
• Leading 29-24, Midland scored the final five points of the first half to open a 33-24 lead by halftime.  The Warriors shot 12-of-32 from the field in the first twenty minutes (37.5 percent) compared to the Trojans 11-of-30 field goals (36.7 percent).
• The Warriors stretched its scoring run to 18-4 into the early second-half, sparking with back-to-back 3-pointers by Jake Rueschnoff and Colby Tichota to start the second half.  Midland recorded its biggest lead of the game at 47-28 after a basket by Castille with 16:27 remaining, thanks to their 6-of-7 field goal shooting.
• The Trojans answered back with a 10-2 scoring run to cut the Warriors' lead to 49-38 after a free throw by Gare Ewefada with 11:33 left in the game.  Midland then scored eight straight points to regain their largest lead of the game at 57-38 after back-to-back 3-pointers by Bo Sandquist and Tichota.
• DSU could get no closer than 10 points at 59-49 when Vic Lassiter drained a 3-pointer with 4:41 remaining.
• Midland outscored Dakota State 31-27 in the second half.  The Warriors shot 43.3 percent (13-of-30 field goals) and held the Trojans to 37.9 percent (11-of-29 field goals).
• McGreal led DSU with 17 points on 8-of-16 field goals.  He also dished out three assists and recorded two rebounds.  Latting added 10 points and pulled down a game-high eight rebounds.  He had two steals.
• Ewefada scored six points and collected three rebounds for the Trojans.  He also stole the ball twice.  Jordan Lynn and Jade Burma each tallied five points.  Lynn contributed three assists.  Cole Bruhn registered five rebounds.
• Castille finished the game with 20 points and grabbed six rebounds for Midland.  He was 8-of-19 from the field and made all three free-throws.  Sandquist added 11 points and five rebounds.  Rueschhoff had eight points, dished out 10 assists and recorded five rebounds.  Tichota also had eight points and five rebounds.  Josh Lambert had six points and six rebounds.
• Midland shot 40.3 percent overall from the field (25-of-62 field goals) compared to Dakota State 37.3 percent (22-of-59 field goals).  The Warriors were 11-of-31 3-pointers (35.5 percent), while the Trojans were 4-of-18 3-pointers (22.2 percent).
• Dakota State struggled at the free-throw line, making three in 11 attempts (27.3 percent).  Midland was 3-of-4 free-throws (75 percent).
• The Warriors outrebounded the Trojans 41-34.  DSU outscored MU 30-24 inside the paint. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director