January 23, 2021

La CROSSE, Wis. – The Dakota State (S.D.) University Trojan men's basketball team could not get back in the winning column Saturday evening, falling to Viterbo (Wis.) 69-53 in the North Star Athletic Association action at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium.  The V-Hawks shot 50 percent overall in the game and held the Trojans to 38.8 percent from the field.

DSU dropped their overall record to 6-10 and 4-3 NSAA conference record.  VU improved to 6-6 overall record and 3-4 record in league play.

Both teams will meet for a rare back-to-back North Star contest on Friday at DSU Fieldhouse.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Madison, S.D.

Viterbo (Wis.) 69, Dakota State (S.D.) 53 – FINAL

• Dakota State raced to a 7-1 lead to open the game, thanks to back-to-back baskets by Gairges Daow to start the game.  Jordan Lynn made a free-throw for DSU's six-point lead with seventeen minutes and twelve seconds on the clock.
• Gavin Schipper made a field goal to extend Trojans' lead to 11-3 with 15:32 to go in the first half. 
• Nolan Martin ended the V-Hawks' five-plus scoreless minutes with a 3-pointer (DSU led 11-6 with 11:322 on the clock).
• Brady Van Holland drained a 3-pointer for another eight-point lead at 14-6 with 11:32 left before halftime.
• Viterbo went on a 16-4 outburst, thanks to their five different scorers (Keegan Severn, Nicholas Malovrh, Jack Monis, Robert Cunitz, and Nolan Martin) during the scoring run.  Martin capped the scoring run with a 3-pointer to put the V-Hawks up 22-18 with 6:05 left in the first.
• Schipper drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Josh McGreal) as DSU regained their lead to 24-23 with 4:43 on the clock.
• VU held a slim 32-30 halftime advantage.  The Trojans shot 48 percent from the field (12-of-25 field goals) compared to the V-Hawks 46.2 percent (12-of-26 field goals).
• Viterbo used a 16-7 run to start the second half to earn their first double digit lead of the game.  Monis hit a basket with 12:06 remaining to stretch VU's lead to 48-37.
• Dakota State could get no closer than eight points at 50-42 after a pair of free-throws by Daow with 10:34 left.
• The V-Hawks held the Trojans scoreless for six minutes and thirty-four seconds, fueling a 15-0 outbreak to post its largest lead of the game at 65-42 with 5:06 remaining after a basket by Brady Polk.
• Lynn ended DSU's scoring drought with a pair of free-throws with four minutes left in the game, trailing 65-44. 
• Viterbo outscored Dakota State 37-23 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The V-Hawks were 15-of-28 from the field (53.6 percent) in the second half, while the Trojans were 7-of-24 field goals (29.2 percent).
• Daow led the Trojans with 15 points on his 6-of-8 field goals.  McGreal, Gare Ewefada and Lamarr Wood each added six points.  Lynn scored five points and dished out four assists.
• McGreal grabbed six rebounds for DSU.  Lynn and Schipper each added four rebounds.
• Four Viterbo players scored in double digits, paced by Cunitz and Monis with 18 points each.  Cunitz was 6-of-12 from the field, while Monis was 8-of-12 field goals.  Cunitz grabbed seven rebounds.
• Noah Fredrickson added 11 points for VU.  Martin scored 10 points off the bench.  Severn had six rebounds.  Polk contributed three assists.
• Viterbo shot 27-of-54 from the field compared to Dakota State 19-of-49 field goals.  The V-Hawks were 6-of-19 3-pointers, while the Trojans were 5-of-20 from the 3-point arc.
• Dakota State converted 10-of-14 from the free-throw line.  Viterbo hit 9-of-16 free-throws.
• VU outrebounded DSU 34-31.  The V-Hawks outscored the Trojans 36-10 inside the paint. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director