February 5, 2021

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu and Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – Five Dakota State (S.D.) players hit double-digits points Friday evening, pulling away past Presentation (S.D.) 85-75 in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans completed their season series sweep over the Saints for the second straight year. 

Dakota State won their second straight game, improving to 8-11 overall record.  The victory also moved the Trojans into a four-way tie for second place with Viterbo (Wis.), Valley City State (N.D.), and Bellevue (Neb.) in the rugged North Star men's basketball conference standings with a 6-4 league record.

Presentation suffered its 15th consecutive defeat, falling to 3-20 overall record and remained winless in 10 league games (0-10 NSAA record).

Dakota State concludes their four-game home stand and their regular-season home schedule, hosting conference's leader sole possession Mayville State (N.D.) in a key NSAA contest Saturday evening.  Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans defeated the Comets 72-60 in their first NSAA meeting earlier this season in Mayville, N.D.

Presentation heads south to face Bellevue (Neb.) in the North Star contest at Gordon Lozier Center, tipping off at 5 p.m.

Dakota State (S.D.) 85, Presentation (S.D.) 75 – FINAL

• Ronnie Latting made a basket, followed by a 3-pointer by Gairges Daow as Dakota State raced to a 5-0 lead with eighteen minutes and forty-eight seconds on the clock.
• Qaiyoom Olanlege scored five straight points as Presentation knotted the game at 5-5 with 17:37 left in the first half.
• Tied at 17-17, the Trojans went on a 9-2 scoring run on their 4-of-6 field goals.  Lamarr Wood scored six points during the scoring run, stretching DSU's lead to 26-19.  PC was forced to burn a timeout with 7:47 to go before intermission.
• PC answered with a 7-2 run to cut DSU's lead to 28-26 after a free-throw by Olanlege with 5:01 on the clock.
• Jordan Lynn made a basket inside the paint as Dakota State extended their lead to 34-28 by halftime.
• DSU shot 15-of-31 from the field (48.4 percent) in the first twenty minutes of the game.  PC was held to 9-of-28 field goals (32.8 percent).  The Saints converted 7-of-9 from the free-throw line, while the Trojans struggled by making 1-of-6 free-throws.
• Jordan Lynn scored six points of the second half, followed by Daow's 3-pointer to spark DSU's 9-0 outburst.  Dakota State ballooned its largest lead of the game at 43-30 with 17:32 remaining.
• The Saints answered by making three straight baskets as part of their 6-0 run, cutting DSU's lead to 43-36 after a field goal by Dwight Felton with 16:31 left.
• Dakota State maintained their lead between five- and 11-points for a span of five-plus minutes.
• With DSU leading 57-49, PC used a 5-0 run to trim their deficit to 57-54 with 9:16 on the clock.  Gavin Schipper answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to stretch the Trojans' lead to 63-54 with 8:28 remaining.
• Presentation could get no closer than five points at 68-63 after a 3-point play with 4:31 to go in the game.
• The Trojans pulled away as they went on a 7-0 run to regain their biggest lead of the game.  Latting nailed down a pair of free-throws for DSU's 79-66 lead with 1:26 left.
• Dakota State outscored Presentation 51-47 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  DSU was 43.3 percent from the field (13-of-30 field goals), including 8-of-12 from the 3-point line in the second half.  The Trojans converted 17-of-24 free-throws.
• PC shot a blazing 58.6 percent in the second half (17-of-29 field goals) and made 10-of-15 from the free-throw line.
• Lynn led the Trojans with 19 points on his 6-of-11 field goals.  He grabbed nine rebounds and tied a season-high six assists.  He stole the ball a season-high four times.  Latting produced a double-double of 16 points (5-of-7 field goals) and tied a season-high 12 rebounds (8 offensive rebounds). 
• Schipper scored 17 points and contributed three assists for Dakota State.  Daow had 12 points and three assists.  Brady Van Holland tallied 10 points and two steals off the bench.
• Felton poured in a game-high 32 points for Presentation.  He was 10-of-19 from the field, 4-of-8 from the 3-point arc and converted 8-of-10 free-throws.  Olanlege and Jalonni McCorvey each scored 15 points. 
• Olanlege and Jackson Becker each registered six rebounds for PC.  Becker and Damien Luna each dished out two assists.  Alex Sumption and Felton each recorded five rebounds.
• Dakota State shot 45.9 percent overall from the field (28-of-61 field goals) compared to Presentation 45.6 percent (26-of-57 field goals).  The Trojans drained 11 3-pointers in 27 attempts (40.7 percent), while the Saints were 6-of-16 3-pointers (37.5 percent).
• PC outrebounded DSU 39-36 in the game. 
• The Trojans outscored the Saints 17-8 in points off turnovers and 19-11 in second chance points.  Both teams scored 34 points inside the paint.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director