January 9, 2021

MADISON, S.D. – Josh McGreal poured in a season-high 33 points in fueling Dakota State (S.D.) to an 81-56 North Star Athletic Association men's basketball victory over Dickinson State (N.D.) Saturday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  The victory also snapped their five-game losing skid and handed the Blue Hawks their eighth straight defeat.

Dakota State, who ended their season-high eight game home stand Saturday, improved to 3-8 overall record and 2-1 record in North Star conference play.  Dickinson State dropped their overall record to 3-10 and winless in three NSAA contests. 

The Trojans kick off their five-game road stretch, starting on Monday with a non-conference contest at Trinity Bible (N.D.).  Tip-off from the Ray Ulmer Fieldhouse is set for 7 p.m. in Ellendale, N.D.

Dickinson State returns home next weekend as they continue their NSAA action, hosting Viterbo (Wis.) Friday and Waldorf (Iowa) next Saturday at Scott Gymnasium.

Dakota State (S.D.) 81, Dickinson State (N.D.) 56 – FINAL

• McGreal scored the first 14 points for the Trojans, going 7-of-10 from the field.  DaSU led 14-12 with twelve minutes and four seconds on the clock.
• Bryce Knox scored 10 points for the Blue Hawks, tying the game for the fifth time at 14-14 with 11:49 to go in the first half.
• Leading 24-22, Dakota State went on a 12-0 outburst to widen their lead to 36-22 after a basket by Jaden Burma with 2:11 left before intermission.  McGreal scored seven points during the Trojans' scoring run by making three consecutive baskets, followed by a 3-pointer by Brady Van Holland.
• Knox hit all three free-throw attempts as the Blue Hawks trimmed the Trojans' lead to 40-30 by halftime.  DaSU and DiSU went through five lead changes and five ties in the first half.
• Dakota State shot a blazing 59.4 percent from the field (19-of-32 field goals) compared to Dickinson State 40.7 percent (11-of-27 field goals) in the first twenty minutes of the game. 
• McGreal scored 25 points (12-of-20 field goals) in the first half for the Trojans, while Know tallied 21 points (7-of-10 field goals and 5-of-5 free-throws) for the Blue Hawks.
• Dickinson State could get no closer than 10 points in the second half on two different occasions.  Jalon Tinnin made a basket as the Blue Hawks trailed 42-32 with 19:05 and a field goal by John Evans with 17:46 left (DaSU led 44-34).
• With the Trojans leading 59-44 with 8:53 remaining, the Trojans stormed with a 15-4 outburst (Jordan Lynn with nine points, while McGreal added six runs during the run) in a span of four minutes to grab a 74-48 lead after a basket by McGreal.  DaSU was 5-of-6 from the field during the scoring run. 
• Dakota State registered its biggest lead of the game at 81-59 with a lay-up by Lynn with 1:39 left.
• The Trojans outscored the Blue Hawks 41-26 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  DaSU was 48.3 percent from the field (14-of-29 field goals) compared to DiSU 32.3 percent (10-of-31 field goals).
• McGreal finished the game by going 15-of-29 from the field for Dakota State.  He also was 3-of-5 from the free-throw line.  He grabbed a-game-high seven rebounds.  Lynn added 13 points off the bench on his 4-of-5 field goals and 5-of-6 free-throws.  He added four assists, two assists, a block and a steal.
• Van Holland tallied nine points and dished out a career-high eight assists for the Trojans.  He pulled down six rebounds and registered a block.  Gare Ewefada scored nine points and contributed four assists.  He also stole the ball three times and recorded a block.
• Gavin Schipper had six rebounds and produced four assists for DaSU.  Ronnie Latting had eight points and five rebounds.  Burma scored six points. 
• Knox had 21 points (scoreless in the second half) for DiSU.  He was 7-of-15 from the field and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line.  He had four rebounds and two assists.  Trey Hladkly added nine points, four assists and two steals.
• Tinnin scored eight points on his 4-of-4 field goals for the Blue Hawks.  Stephen Steinbron had seven points off the bench. 
• Dakota State shot 54.1 percent overall from the field (33-of-61 field goals) compared to Dickinson State 36.2 percent (21-of-58 field goals).  DiSU was 6-of-21 3-pointers, while DaSU was 3-of-9 from the 3-point arc.
• The Trojans were 12-of-15 from the free-throw line (80 percent).  The Blue Hawks made all eight free-throw attempts in the game.
• DaSU outrebounded DiSU 36-32.  The Trojans produced 21 assists in the game compared to the Blue Hawks eight assists.
• Dakota State outscored Dickinson State 6-0 in fast break points, 17-0 in points off turnovers, 34-18 inside the paint and 19-12 in bench points.  Both teams scored six second chance points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director