February 14, 2020

Photos credit by Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) fell to the Dickinson State (N.D.) 95-62 Friday evening during the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest at the DSU Fieldhouse.  The Blue Hawks earned the season series split with the Trojans, where Dakota State defeated Dickinson State 83-74 in the first meeting earlier this season in Dickinson, N.D.

The Trojans fell to 8-18 overall record and 4-8 NSAA conference record.  Dickinson State improved to 9-15 overall record and 7-5 record in the league, tied with Waldorf (Iowa) for third place in the North Star conference standings.

Dakota State stays home as they prepare to host Valley City State (N.D.) in a key North Star conference battle Saturday evening, as both teams are tied for sixth in the conference standings with 4-8 record. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.  Dickinson State travels to Gordon Lozier Center to take on the North Star's conference leader Bellevue (Neb.) at the same time.

Dickinson State (N.D.) 95, Dakota State (S.D.) 62 – FINAL

• Dakota State stormed to a 6-0 early lead, highlighted by back-to-back baskets by Gare Ewefada including a dunk.  The Trojans widen their lead to 9-2 after a 3-pointer by Brady Van Holland with fifteen minutes and six seconds on the clock.
• The Trojans held their lead for the first fourteen-plus minutes before the Blue Hawks went on the outburst, thanks to Donte Walker.  Trailing 27-25, Walker scored 10 points – including seven straight points – to spark DiSU's 20-7 closing run in the final 5:28 of the first half.
• Montel Carlow drained a 3-pointer as the first half expired, ballooning DiSU's lead to 45-34.
• Dakota State could get no closer than eight points on two different occasions – 45-37 after a 3-pointer by Van Holland with 18:41 left and 47-39 after a basket by Ewefada with 18 minutes remaining.
• The Blue Hawks outscored the Trojans 50-28 in the second half to secure the victory.  Dickinson State was 21-of-39 from the field in the final twenty minutes (53.8 percent), while holding Dakota State to 10-of-28 field goals (35.7 percent).
• Josh McGreal led the Trojans with 18 points on his 7-of-19 field goals.  He also had five rebounds and three blocks.  Ewefada tallied 15 points (6-of-12 field goals).  Van Holland had 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds and contributed four assists. 
• Carson Rentz scored six points for Dakota State.  Gavin Schipper had five points and three assists.  Cole Bruhn had five points.
• Six Dickinson State players scored in double digit, led by Walker with 17 points.  Jalon Tinnin and Ajdin Toskic each added 13 points off the bench. 
• Travon Hamilton scored 12 points and dished out a game-high seven assists for the Blue Hawks.  Carlow and Jesse Burns each had 11 points.  Burns had two blocks.  Kenny Jackson scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds.
• Dickinson State shot 57.4 overall from the field (39-of-68 field goals) and held Dakota State to 39.7 percent (23-of-58 field goals).  The Blue Hawks drained 12 3-pointers in 25 tries (48 percent), while the Trojans were 7-of-24 3-pointers (29.2 percent).
• DiSU outrebounded DSU 42-25.  The Blue Hawks outscored the Trojans 13-2 in fast-break points, 15-4 in points off turnovers, 44-18 inside the paint, 15-7 in second-chance points and 44-11 in bench points.

Madelyn Shockey, DSU Sports Writer