January 22, 2022

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu and Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) and Viterbo (Wis.) battled back and forth through four ties and 13 lead changes in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest Saturday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  After DSU earned a one-point lead with 10 seconds left, VU answered with a game-winning jumper from Brady Polk with 2.5 seconds remaining for a 68-67 thriller.

Dakota State's four-game winning streak came to an end, dipping their overall record to 9-12 overall record and 4-3 NSAA conference record.  Viterbo lifted their overall record to 11-9 and moved in a three-way tie for first place in the conference standings with Bellevue (Neb.) and Dickinson State (N.D.) after Saturday's NSAA contests.

Both teams will meet again for the second North Star meeting on Friday at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium in La Crosse, Wis.  The game is set for 7:30 p.m.

Viterbo (Wis.) 68, Dakota State (S.D.) 67 – FINAL

• Dakota State and Viterbo went through two ties and five lead changes in the first ten-plus minutes of the game. 
• Trailing 5-2, Dakota State went on a 7-0 run capped by Chris Morales' basket with 16:37 remaining for a 9-5 lead.
• With DSU leading 16-12, the V-Hawks held the Trojans to one point in a span of six-plus minutes to spark a monstrous 16-1 run.
• Noah Fredrickson highlighted the scoring surge with a 3-pointer to give Viterbo the biggest lead of the game at 28-17 with 6:27 to go in the first half.
• Dakota State closed the first half with a 12-5 run to cut the V-Hawks' lead to 34-29. 
• Viterbo shot 43.8 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes of the game (14-of-32 field goals) compared to Dakota State 40.7 percent (11-of-27 field goals).
• Down 42-34, DSU used a 13-4 run to regain their lead at 47-46 after a layup by Lamarr Wood (assisted by Berto Gittens) with 10:13 left in the game.
• Trailing by two points at 49-47, Dakota State went on a 9-2 run to earn a 58-51 lead after Gittens' basket with 6:53 remaining.
• Maxwell Nielson hit a jump shot to give the Trojans a 60-53 lead with 6:09 left. 
• The V-Hawks answered with an 8-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Robert Cunitz (assisted by Brady Polk) to earn a 61-60 lead with 4:49 to go in the game.
• A free throw by Dakota Mannel gave the V-Hawks a 66-62 lead with 2:16 reaming.
• Dakota State rallied back to score the next four points to tie the game at 66-66 with less than a minute to go.
• Viterbo was unable to convert their scoring opportunity on the next possession as Nielson rebounded the ball for DSU's possession.  The Trojans called a timeout with less than 35 seconds to go.
• The V-Hawks committed a foul, sending Gittens to the free-throw line for a double bonus free-throw situation.  Gittens missed the first attempt and made the second attempt to give DSU a 67-66 lead with 10.8 seconds remaining.
• Polk hit the game-winning jump shot on the right side with 2.5 seconds left as the V-Hawks regained their lead at 68-67.
• Dakota State committed a turnover on the ensuing possession, securing the victory for Viterbo.
• DSU outscored VU 38-34 in the second half.  The Trojans shot a blazing 58.6 percent from the field (17-of-29 field goals) compared to the V-Hawks 41.4 percent (12-of-29 field goals).
• Wood poured in a career-high 23 points on his 9-of-12 field goals and 5-of-8 free-throws for the Trojans.  He also tied a career-high four blocks in the game.  He grabbed seven rebounds.
• Morales added 11 points (5-of-8 field goals).  Nielson tallied 10 points.  Jordan Lynn had eight points, four rebounds, and four assists.  Gittens had nine points, seven rebounds, and four assists off the bench.
• Cunitz paced the V-Hawks with 20 points (8-of-15 field goals, including 4-of-8 3-pointers) and grabbed eight rebounds.  Jack Monis produced a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds.  Polk had 14 points and seven rebounds.  He contributed four assists.
• Fredrickson scored nine points off the bench for Viterbo.  Mannel had six points and six rebounds.
• DSU shot 50 percent from the field, converting 28-of-56 field goals.  VU was 42.6 percent from the field (26-of-61 field goals).  The V-Hawks drained 7-of-18 3-pointers, wile the Trojans hit 4-of-15 from the 3-point arc.
• Both teams went to the free-throw line 13 times.  The V-Hawks made two more free-throws than the Trojans (9-7).
• Dakota State outscored Viterbo 46-26 inside the paint.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director