January 28, 2022

Photos credit by Karen Giles

La CROSSE, Wis. – Dakota State (S.D.) built up a double-digit lead in the second half over Viterbo (Wis.) in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest Friday evening at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium.  The Trojans held off the V-Hawks 70-65 to earn a season series split, despite 68-67 setback six days earlier at DSU Fieldhouse (Jan. 22). 

Dakota State hit the double-digit victories for the second straight year, improving their overall record to 10-13.  Viterbo fell to 11-10 overall record.  Both teams are 5-3 record in the North Star contests, moving in a three-way tie for second place in the standings with Dickinson State (N.D.) after Friday's conference action.

It was the seventh win in the last nine games for the Trojans.  In addition, it was the second straight victory for DSU at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium (defeated VU 95-88 in the NSAA postseason tournament's opening round last season).

Dakota State stays on the road for another NSAA contest Saturday evening, visiting Waldorf (Iowa).  The game is set for 5 p.m. at Hanson Fieldhouse in Forest City, Iowa.

Dakota State (S.D.) 70, Viterbo (Wis.) 65 – FINAL

• Viterbo kicked off the game with a 7-2 lead, capped by Jack Monis's layup with sixteen minutes and thirty-four seconds on the clock.
• Dakota State answered with a 9-4 run to earn its first lead of the game at 12-11 after Jordan Lynn's layup with 12:55 left in the first half.
• From there, the first half was closely contested by both teams with the lead no greater than three points by both teams.
• Tied at 26-26, DSU went a 9-5 run to close the first half in the final 2:27.  Chris Morales made a jump shot to give Trojans a 35-31 lead by halftime.
• Dakota State was 13-of-30 from the field in the first twenty minutes (43.3 percent), including 6-of-15 from the 3-point arc.  Viterbo was 13-of-28 from the field (46.4 percent) and 1-of-5 from the 3-point line.
• The Trojans kicked off the second half with an 8-4 run to stretch their lead to 43-35 after Lynn's lay-up (assisted by Lamarr Wood) with 14:35 on the clock.
• Leading 46-40, Maxwell Nielson drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Ethan Slaathaug) to widen their lead to 49-40 with 11:32 left. 
• DSU posted its first double digit lead of the game at 51-40 with a lay-up by Deshawn Kelly with 9:41 remaining.
• Morales hit a layup as the Trojans recorded its biggest lead of the game at 61-48 with 5:12 left.
• The V-Hawks answered with a 6-0 run to trim the Trojans' lead to 61-54 after a free-throw by Brady Polk with 3:46 to go.
• Lynn hit a pair of free-throws to put DSU's lead back to nine points at 63-54 with 2:28 left.
• Wood made a dunk to put the game away for Dakota State, leading 67-60 with less than 40 seconds to go. 
• The V-Hawks could get no closer than three points at 68-65 with less than five seconds to go, securing the victory for the Trojans.
• DSU outscored VU 35-34 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Trojans shot a sizzling 51.9 percent from the field (14-of-27 field goals) and held the V-Hawks to 40.6 percent (13-of-32 field goals) in the second half.
• Lynn produced a double-double of 18 points and grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds for Dakota State.  He also dished out two assists.  Morales added 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
• Gittens tallied 14 points, collected eight rebounds, and tied a season-high six assists for the Trojans.  Wood had six points, three assists, and two blocks.
• Slaathaug scored seven points off the bench for DSU.  He also had three rebounds and two assists. 
• Monis poured in a game-high 24 points for Viterbo.  He was 11-of-18 from the field.  He also grabbed eight rebounds.  Polk added 12 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
• Nicholas Malovrh recorded 10 points for the V-Hawks.  Robert Cunitz scored eight points.  Noah Fredrickson had seven points and four rebounds off the bench.
• Dakota State shot 27-of-57 overall from the field (47.4 percent) and drained 10 3-pointers in 25 tries (40 percent).  Viterbo was 43.3 percent from the field (26-of-60 field goals) and 5-of-19 from the 3-point arc (26.3 percent).
• The V-Hawks struggled at the free-throw line, making just eight free-throws in 21 attempts (38.1 percent).  DSU was 6-of-10 free-throws (60 percent).
• Both teams collected 36 rebounds and contributed 15 assists in the game.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director