January 15, 2022

Photos credit by Karen Giles

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Dakota State (S.D.) held Presentation's (S.D.) second-half comeback, earning a 62-57 North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest Saturday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  It was the third annual Ag Ball, a cooperative effort between the Madison area agriculture businesses and Dakota State University as a way of showing our appreciation to one of the most economic groups in our area.

The Trojans earned their fourth win in the last five games, improving their overall record to 7-12 and 3-2 record in the league.  PC dropped their fifth straight game, falling to 8-10 overall record and 1-4 NSAA conference record.

Dakota State stays home Monday evening as they continue their season-high five-game home stand at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans play its final non-conference contest versus Trinity Bible (N.D.) with a 7 p.m. tip-off.

Presentation stays on the road next weekend, visiting Dickinson State (N.D.) Friday and Valley City State (N.D.) next Saturday.

Dakota State (S.D.) 62, Presentation (S.D.) 57 – FINAL

• Dakota State scored its first six points of the game, propelling to a 13-2 outburst after a basket by Berto Gittens (assisted by Deshawn Kelly) with fourteen minutes, four seconds on the clock.
• The Trojans were 6-of-9 from the field during the opening run while holding the Saints to 1-of-10 field goals.
• DSU maintained their lead between eight- and 12-points mid-way through the first half.
• Leading 21-11, Dakota State went on a 5-0 run to build the largest lead of the game.  Ronnie Latting made a lay-up inside the paint to balloon Trojans' lead to 26-11 with 5:15 to go before intermission.
• With DSU leading 32-18, the Saints quickly used a 7-0 run after making three straight baskets by three different scorers – Jackson Becker, Lavell Brown, and Ian Kelly.  PC trimmed DSU's lead to 32-25 with less than 30 seconds to go in the first half.
• Chris Morales hit a pair of free-throws to extend the Trojans' lead to 34-25 by halftime.
• Dakota State shot 50 percent from the field in the first half (15-of-30 field goals) and held Presentation to 29.4 percent (10-of-34 field goals).
• Denzel McDuffey stole the ball and made a lay-up as the Saints cut the Trojans' lead to 36-31 with 18:44 remaining in the game.
• The Trojans answered back with four straight points by Gittens followed by a basket by Latting to regain their double dight lead to 42-31 with 17:09 left.
• Presentation used four different scorers to spark their 9-0 scoring run, capped by a free-throw from Lavell Brown with 15:03 on the clock (DSU led 42-40).
• McDuffey added a basket to give the Saints its first lead of the game at 46-44 with 11:44 remaining.
• PC's lead was short-lived as the Trojans regained their lead after using a 9-0 run to grab a 53-46 lead with 8:24 remaining after Latting's basket.
• Dakota State led 60-53 with 1:34 left after a basket by Latting.
• Presentation converted 4-of-6 free-throws in a span of five seconds, trimming DSU's to 60-57.
• The Trojans converted their scoring opportunity on the next possession as Latting rebounded Jordan's Lynn's missed shot with a basket made.  DSU led 62-57 with 21 seconds to go in the game.
• The Saints committed a turnover on the next possession and was recovered by Latting.  He was fouled with less than 15 seconds to go and was sent to the free-throw line.
• PC was unable to convert their scoring chance as the Trojans secured the victory on the final possession.
• Presentation outscored Dakota State 32-28 in the final twenty minutes.  DSU was 12-of-25 from the field (48 percent) and held PC to 10-of-27 field goals (37 percent).  The Saints hit 10-of-15 free-throws in the second half while the Trojans were 2-of-7 free-throws.
• Latting hit a double-double of 18 points and collected 10 rebounds for the Trojans.  He was 9-of-12 from the field.  Gittens scored 13 points off the bench.  Kelly added 11 points, six rebounds, and four assists.
• Lamarr Wood grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds and registered two blocks for Dakota State.  Maxwell Nielson had six rebounds and contributed four assists.  Lynn had seven points and three assists. 
• McDuffey led the Saints with a double-double of 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.  He was 10-of-20 from the field.  Dwight Felton added 10 points off the bench.  Captain Whitlock and Brown each tallied eight points. 
• Dakota State shot 49.1 percent overall from the field (27-of-55 field goals) compared to Presentation 32.8 percent (20-of-61 field goals).  PC was 5-of-22 from the 3-point arc, while DSU was 3-of-15 3-pointers.
• The Saints made 12 free-throws in 18 tries.  DSU was 5-of-12 from the free-throw line.
• The Trojans won the rebounding battle, earning 16 more rebounds than the Saints (48-30). 
• DSU outscored PC 38-24 inside the paint, 15-8 in second-chance points, and 24-11 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director