November 20, 2021

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) jumped to a 35-23 halftime lead in the non-conference men's basketball action Saturday afternoon at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Tigers held off the Trojans' furious late comeback for a 69-59 victory, completing the season series sweep.

Dakota State fell to 2-7 overall record.  Dakota Wesleyan is 3-4 overall record.

The Trojans play in the annual Draemel Classic next weekend during Thanksgiving break.  DSU continues their action against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference. 

The Trojans take on host-team Midland (Neb.) next Saturday at 4 p.m. and Mount Marty (S.D.) next Sunday at 1 p.m.  Both games will be held at Events Center in Fremont, Neb.

Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 69, Dakota State (S.D.) 59 – FINAL

• Nick Wittler hit a 3-pointer to give the Tigers their first lead of the game at 3-0 with nineteen minutes, thirty-five seconds on the clock.
• The Trojans went 3-of-3 from the field to spark a 6-0 scoring run.  Maxwell Nielson, Ronnie Latting, and Lamarr Wood each made a basket to give Dakota State a 6-3 lead with 16:50 on the clock.
• DWU held DSU to one point for more than six minutes, fueling a 14-1 outburst, earning their first double-digit lead at 17-7 after a basket by Koln Oppold with 11:41 to go.
• Ace Zorr hit a pair of free-throws to balloon DWU's lead to 24-8 with 6:43 remaining before halftime.
• Jaxon Simons drained a 3-pointer as the first half expired as DSU trimmed DWU's lead to 35-23.
• Dakota Wesleyan shot 12-of-26 from the field (46.2 percent) and held Dakota State to 32 percent (8-of-25 field goals).
• The Tigers maintained their double-digit lead for the majority of the second half, leading as many as 22 points after a 3-pointer by Wittler for DWU's 58-36 lead with less than seven minutes left in the game.
• Dakota State mounted a furious comeback, cutting the Tigers' lead into single digit.  The Trojans went on a 15-2 outburst, trailing 60-51 with 2:19 left, capped by a 3-pointer by Simons.
• Th Trojans could get no closer than seven points as Simons hit another 3-pointer (assisted by Jordan Lynn), trailing 62-55 with 1:14 remaining.
• DSU outscored DWU 36-34 in the final 20 minutes of the game.  Both teams shot 45.8 percent from the field (11-of-24 field goals) and 5-of-10 from the 3-point arc in the second half.
• Simons led the Trojans with 18 points, thanks to his 5-of-6 3-pointers.  He also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.  He stole the ball four times.  Nielson added 17 points.
• Wood tallied nine points and six rebounds for Dakota State.  Lynn had seven points, four assists, and two steals.  Latting had six points and four rebounds.
• Oppold poured in 27 points on his 10-of-15 field goals, including 5-of-8 3-pointers, and 2-of-2 free-throws for DWU.  He grabbed six rebounds, dished out three assists, and recorded two steals.
• Zorr scored 17 points off the bench on his 6-of-9 field goals and 5-of-6 free-throws for the Tigers.  Sawyer Schultz added 10 points and six assists.  Jeffrey Schuch had seven points and seven rebounds.  Mason Larson collected seven rebounds. 
• DWU shot 46 percent overall from the field, converting 23 baskets in 50 attempts.  DSU was 19-of-49 field goals (38.8 percent).
• DWU hit 9-of-20 3-pointers (45 percent) compared to DSU 7-of-19 3-pointers (66.7 percent).
• The Trojans were 14-of-21 free-throws (66.7 percent), while the Tigers were 14-of-18 free-throws (77.8 percent).
• Dakota Wesleyan outrebounded Dakota State 34-27.
• The Trojans outscored the Tigers 16-11 in points off turnovers.  DWU outscored DSU 22-18 inside the paint and 17-2 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director