December 29, 2022

BELLEVUE, Neb. – Northwestern (Iowa) ignited the game by hitting six straight 3-pointers made and poured in 64 first-half points Thursday afternoon, rolling to a 94-61 victory over Dakota State (S.D.) on the first day of the Fairfield Inn by Marriott Classic.  The men's basketball tournament is being held at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center, hosted by North Star Athletic Association's foe Bellevue (Neb.).

Dakota State fell to 5-9 after dropping their third straight game against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  Northwestern lifted their overall record to 9-4.

The Trojans close out the 2022 calendar year as they look to end their losing skid Friday afternoon on the second day of the tournament.  DSU takes on Haskell (Kan.) with a 2 p.m. tip-off.

Northwestern (Iowa) 94, Dakota State (S.D.) 61 – FINAL

• Three different NWIA players – Craig Sterk, Conner Geddes, and Dillon Carlson – scored in their 8-0 opening run in the first 1 minute, 23 seconds.
• Dakota State snapped its scoring drought with a layup from Deshawn Kelly with 17:58 on the clock, trailing 8-2.
• Carlson made four consecutive 3-pointers as the Red Raiders' lead grew to 21-9 with 15:20 to go in the first half.
• Northwestern shot a sizzling 71.4 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes (25-of-35 field goals), storming to a 64-27 halftime lead.  The Red Raiders also drained 12 3-pointers in 16 tries.
• DSU was held to 37.5 percent from the field (12-of-32 field goals) and 2-of-13 from the 3-point arc in the first half.
• Ethan Damerum, Ben Hoverson, and Ethan Slaathaug kicked off the second half with an 8-0 scoring run.  Slaathaug capped the scoring run by scoring four straight points as DSU trimmed their deficit to 64-35 with 17:25 left.
• The Red Raiders maintained their double dight lead for the rest of the game, despite being outscored by the Trojans 34-30 in the final twenty minutes.
• Ronnie Latting and Slaathaug each scored 11 points for Dakota State.  Latting grabbed six rebounds and registered two blocked shots.  Hoverson added eight points off the bench. 
• Kelly and Damerum each tallied six points for the Trojans.  Damerum dished out four assists and registered a block.  Sam Muller, Kelly, Jace Kelley, and Damerum each collected four rebounds.  Brett Limke, Kelly, and Latting each stole the ball twice. 
• NWIA's Carlson was 10-of-14 from the field, including 6-of-8 from the 3-point arc, for 27 points. He also had seven rebounds and two steals.  Geddes and Sterk each added 16 points.  Sterk had seven rebounds.  Matt Onken had 13 points and nine rebounds.
• Greant DeMeulenaere had seven points and produced six assists for the Red Raiders.  Keyton Moser had six points off the bench.
• Northwestern shot 60.3 percent overall from the field (38-of-63 field goals) and held Dakota State to 39.1 percent (27-of-69 field goals).
• The Red Raiders drained 15 3-pointers in 24 attempts (62.5 percent), while the Trojans were 5-of-29 3-pointers. 
• NWIA outrebounded DSU 41-32. 
• Both teams scored 34 points inside the paint.  The Trojans outscored the Red Raiders 35-16 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director