October 29, 2022

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) built up an eight-point second-half lead, holding off Midland's (Neb.) late comeback to close the annual season-opening men's basketball home tournament with a 63-61 victory at DSU Fieldhouse Saturday evening.  The victory also ended Trojans' nine-game losing skid in the series meeting with the Warriors, with the last victory coming on Jan. 3, 2015, at DSU Fieldhouse (73-68 over No. 8 ranked Midland squad that time).

All four schools split their games in their two-day tournament, with the North Star Athletic Association and Great Plains Athletic Conference teams going 1-1 record.  Presentation upset No. 24 ranked Briar Cliff (Iowa) in the first game Saturday by the score of 93-80.

Dakota State continues its action against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  The Trojans head to Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday evening for a contest with Dordt (Iowa).  Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at Sanford Pentagon.  You can purchase the advanced tickets via online on dsuathletics.com.

Dakota State (S.D.) 63, Midland (Neb.) 61 – FINAL

• Dakota State and Midland traded leads through the first six-and-half minutes of the game.
• Tied at 10-10, the Warriors went on a 7-0 scoring run from three different scorers – Ryan Larsen, Jake Rueschhoff, and Samuel Mailloux – to open a 17-10 lead with 12:13 on the clock in the first half.
• DSU answered with a 12-2 scoring surge to regain their lead at 22-19 after a basket by Ronnie Latting (assisted by Manny N'tula) with 8:17 to go before halftime.
• The Trojans and the Warriors kept trading leads or tied for the rest of the first half before DSU made a closing run.
• With the fourth tie of the game at 33-33 after MU's Noah Sanbothe's basket, Taylor Edwards scored the final five points in 1:38 to fuel DSU's 5-0 scoring run for a 38-33 halftime lead.
• The Trojans shot 44.1 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes (15-of-34 field goals) compared to the Warriors 40 percent (14-of-35 field goals).
• DSU continued to maintain their lead to start the second half, holding leads between 1- and 6-points.
• Midland's Larsen hit a basket to register the fifth tie of the game at 45-45 with 13:25 remaining.  Dakota State quickly answered with a 3-pointer by Deshawn Kelly for a 48-45 lead with 13:10 to go.
• Leading 48-47, Sam Muller capped DSU's 7-1 scoring run with a lay-up (assisted by Kevin Jones, Jr.) for game's biggest lead at 55-47 with nine minutes left.
• Dakota State also posted its biggest lead of the game at 57-49 after Muller's basket one minute later (8:03 on the clock).
• The Trojans kept their lead between four- and six-points for a span of five minutes.
• With DSU leading 61-55, Midland scored the next four points to trim their deficit to 61-59 after Jake Orr's basket with 2:25 remaining.
• Latting made a lay-up (assisted by Jones) to give DSU a 63-59 lead with 1:33 left.
• The Warriors cut their deficit to 63-61 after Orr's basket with a minute to go.
• DSU was unable to score on the next possession as Jones' shot was blocked by MU's Rueschhoff with less than 30 seconds to go.
• Dakota State's defense halted Midland's game-tying shot by Jack Cooper and was rebounded by T'tula with less than five seconds to go, securing the victory for DSU.
• MU shot 13-of-27 from the field in the final twenty minutes (48.1 percent) compared to DSU 9-of-23 field goals (39.1 percent).
• Kelly led the balanced scoring attack for the Trojans with 13 points.  He was 5-of-10 from the field, including 3-of-6 from the 3-point arc.  He also grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists. 
• Latting tallied 11 points and six rebounds for Dakota State.  Ethan Damerum scored 10 points and pulled down nine rebounds off the bench.  Jones had nine points and three assists.
• Chris Morales scored eight points for DSU.  He stole the ball twice.  Edwards had five points.  Latting and Ben Hoverson each had a blocked shot.  T'tula contributed four assists and four rebounds.
• Larsen led the Warriors with 19 points on his 9-of-19 field goals.  Rueschhoff and Orr each added 10 points.  Orr had seven rebounds and two steals. 
• Cooper had eight points and seven rebounds for MU.  He recorded two blocked shots. 
• Dakota State shot 42.1 percent overall from the field (24-of-57 field goals).  The Trojans drained seven 3-pointers in 18 attempts and converted 8-of-10 free-throws.
• Midland was 43.6 percent from the field (27-of-62 field goals).  The Warriors hit two 3-pointers in 15 tries (13.3 percent) and struggled from the free-throw line by making 5-of-11 free-throws.
• DSU outrebounded MU 42-31. 
• The Trojans outscored the Warriors 27-10 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director