November 8, 2022

YANKTON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) shot a blazing 59.4 percent from the field, hitting season-high 98 points as they continued their dominance over in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) 98-66 Tuesday evening at Cimpl Arena.  It was the second time in the last three meetings that the Trojans had scored 98 points over the Lancers.

Dakota State improved to 2-2 overall record.  Mount Marty, who went 2-0 record in the NAIA Classic after defeating Presentation (S.D.) and Valley City State (N.D.) last weekend at Sanford Pentagon, fell to 3-2 overall record.  The Trojans earned their 17th win in the last 20 meetings with the Lancers, including winning the last three meetings.

DSU steps aside their regular season play as they play an exhibition contest Saturday evening.  The Trojans stay on the road as they visit NCAA Division I South Dakota with a 5 p.m. tip-off.  The game is set to be played at Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, S.D.

Dakota State (S.D.) 98, Mount Marty (S.D.) 66 – FINAL

• Dakota State went 5-of-8 from the field in the first four-and-half minutes of the game, sparking a 12-2 outburst, capped by Deshawn Kelly's 3-pointer.  The Lancers were forced to burn their first timeout of the game with 15:18 to go in the first half.
• The Trojans never trailed for the rest of the game, where Mount Marty could get no closer than eight points at 12-4 after Cole Bowen's lay-up with 15:06 on the clock.
• DSU regained their double-digit lead, leading as many as 14 points after Manny N'tula's 3-pointer for a 30-16 lead with 8:48 to go in the first half.
• MMU trimmed the Trojans' lead down to eight points at 35-27 with 4:55 to go before halftime. 
• Dakota State answered with a 17-9 scoring run to end the first half, ballooning their lead to 52-36.
• The Trojans shot a sizzling 64.7 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes of the game, making 22 baskets in 34 attempts.  The Lancers shot 43.3 percent (13-of-30 field goals).
• Dakota State kicked off the second half with a lay-up by Sam Muller to extend their lead to 54-36 with 19:21 remaining.
• Leading 67-48, the Trojans continued to balloon their lead after going on a 12-1 outburst for a 79-49 lead after Kelly's lay-up with 10:45 left.
• A lay-up by Ronnie Latting gave DSU its biggest lead of the game at 87-54 with 6:30 remaining in the game.
• Dakota State outscored Mount Marty 46-30 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Trojans shot 54.3 percent from the field (19-of-35 field goals) in the second half compared to the Lancers 44.4 percent (12-of-27 field goals.
• The Trojans had four players scored in double digits in the game.  Kelly poured in a career-high 28 points off the bench for DSU.  He was 11-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-8 from the 3-point line. 
• N'tula added 17 points on his 6-of-10 field goals and 5-of-9 from the 3-point arc for the Trojans.  He also had six rebounds.  Muller tallied a season-high 14 points and six rebounds.  He dished out three assists and stole the ball twice.
• Latting scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds for Dakota State.  Chris Morales had eight points and three assists.  Ethan Damerum recorded five points, four rebounds, and contributed a season-high seven assists. 
• Tash Lunday led the Lancers with 20 points.  He was 5-of-11 from the field and converted 10-of-15 from the free-throw line.  He had four rebounds and four assists.
• Lincoln Jordre added eight points and five rebounds for MMU.  Matthew Becker had eight points off the bench. 
• Dakota State made 41 field goals in 69 tries compared to Mount Marty 43.9 percent (25-of-57 field goals).  The Trojans hit 11 3-pointers in 25 attempts (44 percent), while the Lancers were 4-of-16 3-pointers (25 percent).
• MMU hit 12-of-19 free-throws.  DSU was 5-of-9 from the free-throw line.
• Dakota State won the rebounding battle, outrebounding Mount Marty 35-22. 
• The Trojans outscored the Lancers 50-32 inside the paint, 16-4 in fastbreak points, and 46-26 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director