December 21, 2020

MADISON, S.D. – Briar Cliff (Iowa) used a furious comeback back in the final 38 seconds of regulation and forced overtime with Dakota State (S.D.) in the non-conference men's basketball contest Monday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Chargers prevailed in overtime by the score of 79-75.

Dakota State led 63-56 with 47.2 seconds remaining before Briar Cliff roared back to score seven points in the final 38 seconds to force overtime.  The Chargers outscored the Trojans 16-12 in the final five minutes. 

Dakota State, who played for the first time since Dec. 6, fell to 2-4 overall record.  The Trojans are currently on their third game of the season-high eight-game home stand at DSU Fieldhouse.  Briar Cliff, a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, moved to .500 with an overall record of 7-7.

DSU takes a break for Christmas this week before returning to action next week.  Dakota State faces another opponent from the GPAC conference, continuing the home-stand versus No. 18-ranked Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Wednesday, Dec. 30.  Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

Briar Cliff (Iowa) 79, Dakota State (S.D.) 75 – FINAL

• Dakota State and Briar Cliff went through six ties and five lead changes and lead no greater than five points in the first twenty minutes of the game.
• Tied at 8-8, Quinten Vasa scored five straight points to open a 13-8 lead for the Chargers with 16:06 on the clock.
• Josh McGreal scored seven points to spark DSU's 7-2 scoring run, capping with a 3-pointer with 14:03 left in the first to tie the game at 15-15.
• Trailing 27-26, Brady Van Holland made a basket inside in the paint followed by a pair of fast-break points by Jordan Lynn to fuel DSU's 6-0 scoring run.  The Trojans lead 32-27, forcing the Chargers to call a timeout with 4:34 left in the first half.
• Lynn made a basket with less than five seconds left, giving DSU a 38-33 halftime advantage. 
• Briar Cliff shot 54.2 percent from the field (13-of-24 field goals) compared to Dakota State 50 percent (16-of-32 field goals) in the first half.
• The Trojans stretched its scoring run to 6-0 in the early second half.  Ronnie Latting made a basket followed by McGreal's field goal for DSU's biggest lead of the game at 42-33, forcing BCU to take a timeout with 17:58 left.
• DSU recorded its biggest lead of the game at 50-41 after Gare Ewefada's jump shot inside the pant with 11:33 on the clock in the second half.
• Vasa (four points) and Ethan Freidel (five points) sparked Chargers' 9-0 scoring outburst to tie the game for the seventh time at 50-50 with 9:16 left.
• Lynn scored the next five points as the Trojans regained their lead at 55-50 with 6:33 remaining.
• DSU stretched its lead to 63-56 after a pair of free throws by Lynn with 47.2 seconds left in the game.
• Nick Hoyt made a lay-up with 38 seconds left as BCU trimmed DSU's lead to 63-58.  The Chargers quickly fouled on Van Holland.
• Van Holland missed the back side of the bonus free throw and was rebounded by BCU's Hoyt.  The Trojans committed a foul and sent Charger Jared Kleinhesselink to the free-throw line.
• Kleinhesselink made the first free throw as BCU trailed 63-59 with 31.2 seconds left.  He missed the second free throw and was rebounded by DSU's Schipper.  BCU fouled on Schipper, sending him to the free-throw line for bonus situation with 29.2 seconds remaining.
• Schipper missed the back side of the bonus situation and was rebounded by Briar Cliff's Vasa.
• Kleinhesselink made a quick driving layup with 21.2 seconds remaining as the Chargers cut DSU's lead to 63-61.  The Chargers called their final timeout of regulation.
• The Trojans committed a turnover on the following possession as Conner Groves stole the ball and made a lay-up as BCU tied the game at 63-63 with 15.6 seconds remaining.
• DSU committed another turnover on the final possession with a steal by Kleinhesselink as BCU forced the game into overtime.
• Briar Cliff outscored Dakota State 30-25 in the final twenty minutes of regulation, including 7-0 scoring run in the final 38 seconds.
• Both teams opened the overtime period by going 4-of-4 from the field, recording a 72-72 tie with 2:06 on the clock.
• Latting nailed down a pair of free throws to register the 13th tie of the game at 74-74 with 1:21 remaining in overtime.
• Kleinhesselink completed a 3-point play with 18.2 seconds remaining to give Briar Cliff a 77-74 lead.
• The Chargers committed a foul on Van Holland.  He made the first free throw as DSU trailed 77-75 with 6.4 seconds left.  He missed the second free throw and was rebounded by BCU's Groves as Trojans fouled him with 4.9 seconds to go.
• Groves secured the game by making both free throws to give Briar Cliff the victory at 79-75.
• The Chargers were 5-of-6 field goals compared to the Trojans 4-of-6 field goals in overtime.  BCU was also perfect 5-of-5 from the free-throw line, while DSU was 3-of-4 free-throws in the final five minutes.
• Four DSU players scored in double digits, paced by McGreal with a game-high 22 points on his 10-of-20 field goals.  He also had four rebounds and two assists.  Lynn added 19 points (8-of-16 field goals).  He also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, contributed five assists and stole the ball three times.  He recorded two blocks.
• Van Holland tallied 13 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Trojans.  Latting added 10 points and four rebounds.  Schipper had nine points and five rebounds.  Ewefada had four rebounds. 
• Five Briar Cliff players scored in double digits, led by Vasa with 19 points (8-of-13 field goals).  He also had seven rebounds and five assists.  Groves tallied 16 points and two steals.
• Freidel scored 11 points off the bench for the Chargers.  He dished out four assists.  Kleinhesselink and Hoyt each added 10 points.  Kleinhesselink had six rebounds and five assists.  Quinn Vesey recorded eight rebounds for BCU. 
• Dakota State shot 50.8 percent overall from the field (31-of-61 field goals) compared to Briar Cliff 49.2 percent (29-of-59 field goals).  The Chargers were 9-of-25 3-pointers (36 percent), while the Trojans were 6-of-14 from the 3-point arc (42.9 percent).
• Briar Cliff went to the free-throw line 17 times, making 12 free-throws (70.6 percent).  Dakota State was 7-of-10 free-throws (70 percent).
• Dakota State outrebounded Briar Cliff 35-32 in the game.  DSU outscored BCU 8-5 in transition points and 6-3 in second chance points.  The Chargers outscored the Trojans 13-12 in points off turnovers, 38-28 inside the paint and 19-2 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director