January 2, 2021

Photos credit by Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) held their lead for most of the non-conference men's basketball contest Saturday evening versus Peru State (Neb.) at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Bobcats mounted a furious comeback in the final three minutes of the game with a 10-2 outburst, closing the game with a lay-up by Tyrece Grills as time expired for a 67-65 victory over the Trojans.

Dakota State lost their third straight game, falling to 2-6 overall record.  Peru State, a member of the Heart of America Athletic Conference, lifted their overall record to 8-5 after winning their third straight game.

DSU stays home on Monday as they host Dordt (Iowa) in another non-conference game.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

Peru State (Neb.) 67, Dakota State (S.D.) 65 – FINAL

• Grills kicked off the game with a 3-pointer, followed by a basket by Skyler Wilson to open a 5-0 lead for Peru State with 18:31 on the clock.
• Ronnie Latting hit a pair of free-throws as the Trojans knotted the game at 6-6 with 15:56 left in the first half.
• Brady Van Holland drained back-to-back 3-pointers to give DSU their first lead of the game at 9-8 with 14:52 on the clock, stretching their lead to 12-8 with 14:32 to go in the first.
• Tied at 16-16, Dakota State went on a 12-1 scoring tear to earn its first double digit lead of the game after a dunk by Gare Ewefada for 27-16 lead with six minutes left before intermission.
• Five different DSU players – Josh McGreal, Gavin Schipper, Van Holland, Jordan Lynn and Ewefad – scored during DSU's scoring run that spanned for over four minutes.
• Lynn made a basket when the first half expired, holding a 37-30 lead for the Trojans.
• Dakota State shot 45.5 percent from the field (15-of-33 field goals), including 5-of-10 from the 3-point line in the first twenty minutes of the game.  Peru State was held to 40.7 percent from the field (11-of-27 field goals) and 2-of-5 3-pointers).
• The Trojans maintained their lead between four- and nine-points for the first ten minutes of the second half.
• Leading 52-48, the Trojans scored six straight points to regain their double-digit lead.  Cole Bruhn made a lay-up to give Dakota State a 58-48 lead with 8:22 remaining.
• McGreal made a pair of free-throws with 2:59 remaining as DSU led 63-57.
• Wilson hit a 3-pointer with 2:22 left as Peru State cut Dakota State's lead to 63-60.
• Latting made a free-throw with 1:52 to go as the Trojans extended their lead to 64-60.  Wilson answered back with a 3-pointer as Peru State trailed 64-63 with less than a minute to go.
• Schipper went 1-of-2 at the free-throw line on the next possession as DSU led 65-63 with 50.3 seconds remaining.
• Henry Tanksley missed a basket and was rebounded by his teammate Griggs, who wen to score as the Bobcats tied the game at 65-65 with 24.8 seconds to go.
• Dakota State could not convert their scoring opportunity to overtake the lead as Ewefada missed the basket with less than five seconds to go.
• Tanksley rebounded the ball and rushed down to the court and passed the ball to Griggs for the game-winning basket as the time expired for PSC.
• It was the first lead for the Bobcats since 15:41 left in the first half (8-6).
• Peru State outscored Dakota State 37-28 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Bobcats shot 43.8 percent from the field (14-of-32 field goals) and 6-of-14 3-pointers.  The Trojans were held to 31.3 percent (10-of-32 field goals) and 2-of-7 3-pointers.
• McGreal led DSU with 18 points on his 8-of-14 field goal shooting and converted both free-throws.  Van Holland added 12 points.  McGreal and Van Holland each had six rebounds and two assists.  McGreal had two blocks.
• Ewefada tallied 10 points, five rebounds and five assists off the bench for the Trojans.  Latting had nine points and four rebounds.  Lynn had eight rebounds and two assists.  Schipper stole the ball twice.
• Lynn, Schipper and Jade Burma each recorded a block for DSU.
• Wilson paced the Bobcats with 19 points on his perfect 8-of-8 field goals and 3-of-3 3-pointers.  Griggs added 17 points.  Tanksley registered a game-high 10 rebounds, seven points and four assists.  Griggs and Tanksley each dished our four assists.
• DJ Fields had seven points and eight rebounds for PSC.  Fields, Griggs and Tanksley each recorded a block.
• Peru State shot 42.4 percent overall from the field (25-of-59 field goals) compared to Dakota State 38.5 percent (25-of-65 field goals).  The Bobcats were 8-of-19 from the 3-point arc (42.1 percent), while the Trojans were 7-of-17 3-pointers (41.2 percent).
• PSC was 9-of-12 from the free-throw line (75 percent).  DSU struggled from the free-throw line, making 8 free-throws in 16 tries (50 percent).
• Dakota State outrebounded Peru State 41-39, including 14-8 on offensive boards.  The Trojans outscored the Bobcats 13-5 in second-chance points.
• PSC outscored DSU 12-2 in fast-break points, 11-7 in points off turnovers and 32-26 inside the paint.
• There was a total of four ties and two lead changes in the game.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director