February 15, 2020
Photos credit by Karen Giles
MADISON, S.D. – The Dakota State University (S.D.) Trojans Men's Basketball team finished their North Star Athletic Association men's basketball home schedule Saturday evening as they faced the Valley City State (N.D.) Vikings at DSU Fieldhouse. Prior to the contest, but DSU and VCSU were tied for sixth in the North Star conference with a 4-8 record. Knotted at 37-37 by halftime, the Vikings shot a blazing 68 percent in the second half to fuel to an 83-66 victory over the Trojans.
Dakota State fell to 8-20 overall record and 4-9 NSAA conference record. Valley City State boosted their overall record to 9-18 and 5-8 record in the league. The Vikings swept the season series with the Trojans.
Dakota State is scheduled to play their final non-conference home contest Tuesday evening versus Nebraska Christian. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans play their final North Star contest on Friday night at Bellevue (Neb.).
Valley City State returns home on Friday as they play their final NSAA conference game versus Dickinson State (N.D.). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse in Valley City, N.D.
Valley City State (N.D.) 83, Dakota State (S.D.) 66 – FINAL
- Connor Entzi scored the game's first twelve points, propelling the Vikings to an 18-9 lead with thirteen minutes and eight seconds left on the clock.
- Trailing 23-15, the Trojans went on a monstrous 22-9 scoring run to grab a 37-32 lead after a 3-pointer by Carson Rentz with 1:06 left before halftime.
- Hunter Sand scored the final five points of the first half as VCSU rallied back to knot the game at 37-37. The Vikings shot 43.3 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes (13-of-30 field goals) compared to the Trojans 40.6 percent (13-of-32 field goals).
Valley City State kept their lead between one- and three-point through the first six-and-half minutes of the second half before Dakota State regained their lead briefly. Gare Ewefada knocked down a pair of free-throws as DSU led 51-50 with 13:08 remaining.- VCSU went on an 18-9 scoring run to earn the first double-digit lead of the game at 69-59 after a 3-pointer by Jalen Addison with less than seven minutes remaining.
- Valley City State never looked back as they secured the victory, missing just eight shots in 25 tries in the final twenty minutes of the game. The Vikings outscored the Trojans 46-29 in the second half. The Trojans were held to 32.3 percent from the field (10-of-31 field goals).
- Dakota State was led by sophomore Brady Van Holland who racked up a season-high 24 points. He was 8-of-17 from the field and converted 7-of-8 free-throws. He also had six rebounds and dished out three assists.
- Josh McGreal added 16 points and pulled down five rebounds. Brady Elder had a game-high five assists. Ewefada and Rentz each scored nine points. Cole Bruhn had six rebounds.
- VCSU was led by Entzi who ended with 25 points. He was 10-of-14 from the field. He also had five rebounds and three assists. Addison scored 17 points and seven rebounds off the bench (7-of-12 field goals). Kevin Schramm had 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Sand added 10 points.
Valley City was 30-for-55 (54.5 percent) from the field compared to Dakota State 23-for-63 (36.5 percent) from the field. The Vikings drained 10-of-19 3-pointers (52.6 percent) while the Trojans struggled from the 3-point arc, going 5-of-27 3-pointers (18.5 percent).- The Vikings outrebounded the Trojans 38-29 in the game. DSU, however, outscored VCSU 13-2 in points off turnovers and 13-9 in second chance points.
- Valley City State's bench scored 36 points compared to Dakota State's bench 11 points.
Madelyn Shockey, DSU Sports Writer
