February 7, 2020
Photos credit by Karen Giles
ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Dakota State (S.D.) Trojans faced the Presentation (S.D.) Saints in a North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) men's basketball conference competition. The Trojans defeated the Saints 83-71 and boosted their NSAA conference record to 4-6 and 8-17 overall record on Friday night at the Strode Center. The Saints fell to 3-22 overall record and 0-10 NSAA record after the setback, suffering their 15th straight defeat.
The Trojans were looking to get back into the winning column after coming off from a 2-1 record the previous week. The last meeting between the Trojans and the Saints ended in DSU's favor by the score of 70-67, ten days ago at DSU Fieldhouse.
DSU looks to start a winning streak as they face the Comets of No. 22-ranked Mayville State (N.D.) on Saturday evening at the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse. The Comets are currently 7-2 in the NSAA after falling to Bellevue (Neb.) 71-56 in the battle of the conference's top tow teams. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m.
Dakota State (S.D.) 83, Presentation (S.D.) 71 – FINAL
- Josh McGreal scored the first four points of the game for the Trojans, fueling the Trojans to a 4-0 lead with eighteen minutes and fifty-three seconds on the clock.
- Presentation led 41-34 with nearly three minutes left before halftime. The Trojans ended the first half with a 6-2 scoring run, ending with a 3-pointer by Carson Rentz as DSU trailed 43-40.
The Saints had seven turnovers compared to the Trojans' three turnovers in the first half. Rentz scored 12 points in the first half for DSU. Elijah Coleman and Jackson Becker head had 11 points for the Saints.- Dakota State came out strong in the second half, scoring seven straight points early on (DSU led 49-43 with 17:26 remaining). The Trojans played a close game with the Saints at the beginning of the second half but maintained a lead throughout the rest of the game.
- DSU outscored PC 22-10 in the final 10:09 of the game to secure the victory. The Trojans also outscored the Saints 43-28 in the second half.
- McGreal and Rentz each scored 18 points for the Trojans. Three other Trojans also hit double digits, with Gare Ewefada scoring 15 points, Gavin Schipper chipping in 13 points and Cole Bruhn with 10 points.
- McGreal posted a double-double with 11 rebounds for DSU. Schipper dished out a game-high six assists and added two blocks. Ewefada contributed five assists.
- Coleman and Becker led Presentation with 17 points each. Ange-Michael Kuo added 14 points.
Dakota State was 32-of-57 from the field (56.1 percent). Presentation was 27-of-52 field goals (51.9 percent). The Trojans drained 14 3-pointers in 28 tries (50 percent) compared to the Saints 9-of-19 from the 3-point arc (47.4 percent).- DSU was 5-for-8 (62.5 percent) from the free throw line. PC was 8-for-11 free-throws (72.7 percent).
- The Trojans won the rebounding battle over the Saints (27-22).
- Becker, Kuo, Damien Luna, and Lawrence Chery each had four rebounds for PC.
Madelyn Shockey, DSU Sports Writer
