January 8, 2021

Photos credit by Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – Valley City State (N.D.) drained 12 3-pointers and outscored Dakota State (S.D.) 26-5 in points off turnovers Friday evening, rolling to a 75-53 North Star Athletic Association men's basketball victory at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Vikings raced to a 42-25 halftime lead and never looked back for their ninth straight victory after dropping their season opener game last November.

Dakota State fell to 2-8 overall record and 1-1 NSAA conference record.  Valley City State, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 9-1 and remained undefeated in NSAA conference play with a 2-0 record.

The Trojans look to conclude their season-high eight-game home stand on a high note, hosting Dickinson State (N.D.) at 4 p.m.  Valley City State travels to Gordon Lozier Center on the same day, visiting Bellevue (Neb.) with a 5 p.m. tip-off.

(RV) Valley City State (N.D.) 75, Dakota State (S.D.) 53 – FINAL

• Valley City State and Dakota State went through two ties and one lead change in the first five minutes and five seconds of the game.
• Tied at 4-4, VCSU went on an 8-0 scoring run – with five points from Matthew Schlottman and a 3-pointer from Connor Entzi – to grab a 12-4 lead with 13:30 on the clock in the first half.
• Ronnie Latting made a pair of free-throws as DSU cut the Vikings' lead down to 19-14 with 7:32 left before intermission.
• Valley City State drained six 3-pointers to spark a 23-11 run in the final 7:13 of the first half for a 17-point halftime lead.  Trojan Gare Ewefada made a lay-up as the first half expired, trailing 42-25.
• VCSU shot 51.7 percent from the field (15-of-29 field goals), including 9-of-16 from the 3-point line (56.3 percent) in the first twenty minutes of the game.  DSU was 9-of-21 from the field (42.9 percent) and 1-of-8 from the 3-point arc.
• Trailing 48-29, the Trojans went on a 7-0 scoring surge capped by Brady Van Holland's 3-pointer.  The Vikings were forced to call a timeout, holding a 48-36 lead with 12:43 remaining.
• Valley City State maintained their control for the rest of the game, leading as many as 25 points after a pair of free-throws by Hunter Sand with 3:10 left.
• VCSU outscored DSU 33-28 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Vikings were 46.4 percent from the field in the second half (13-of-28 field goals) compared to the Trojans 42.9 percent (12-of-28 field goals).
• Latting posted a double-double of 12 points (4-of-5 field goals and 4-of-4 free-throws) and collected a season-high 11 rebounds for Dakota State.  He also had two blocks.  Josh McGreal added 12 points.
• Gavin Schipper tallied 10 points and four rebounds for the Trojans.  Ewefada scored 10 points (4-of-4 field goals) and grabbed four rebounds.  Van Holland had nine points and five rebounds.  Jordan Lynn dished out five assists. 
• Schlottman scored 17 points off the bench for the Vikings.  He was 6-of-9 from the field, including 5-of-7 from the 3-point arc.  Jalen Addison added 16 points and dished out three assists.
• Kevin Schramm had a double-double of 10 points and earned 11 rebounds for VCSU.  Sand had eight points and five rebounds.  Chris Thompson and Cayden Rickard each stole the ball three times.  Rickard contributed a game-high four assists.
• Valley City State shot 49.1 percent overall from the field (28-of-57 field goals) compared to Dakota State 42.9 percent (21-of-49 field goals).  VCSU was 12-of-24 3-pointers (50 percent), while DSU was 3-of-15 from the 3-point line (20 percent).
• The Trojans struggled from the free-throw line, making eight free-throws in 15 tries (53.3 percent).  The Vikings were 7-of-11 free-throws (63.6 percent).
• DSU outrebounded VCSU 34-30.
• Valley City State outscored Dakota State 7-0 in fast-break points, 30-24 inside the paint and 34-10 in bench points.  Both teams scored 12 points on second chance points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director