February 23, 2022

MAYVILLE, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) built up a 15-point lead in the early second half over host-team Mayville State (N.D.) in the opening round of the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball postseason tournament Wednesday evening at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.  Despite falling behind by five points, the Trojans regained their lead and pulled away late for a 74-68 victory over the Comets to advance to the NSAA semifinals.

Dakota State, who is seeded No. 5 in the NSAA postseason tournament for the second consecutive year, improved their overall record to 13-17.  Fourth-seeded Mayville State ended their season at 16-10 overall record.  DSU recorded its third win in the last four meetings versus MSU.

It was the second straight year that the Trojans earned the NSAA Postseason Tournament's opening round victory on the road (defeated Viterbo, Wis., last season 95-88 in the NSAA opening round on Feb. 23, 2021).  In addition, it was the second straight season that DSU ended Mayville State's season in the postseason tournament at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse (defeated MSU 66-65 in the NSAA semifinals).

Dakota State continues its postseason run on Saturday evening, facing top-seeded Viterbo (Wis.) – who held off eighth-seeded Waldorf (Iowa) 74-72 Wednesday in La Crosse, Wis – in the NSAA Final Four tournament.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D.

The second semifinal game will feature second-seeded Bellevue (Neb.) taking on third-seeded Valley City State (N.D.) at 8 p.m.  It will be the second straight year that both BU and VCSU met in the NSAA semifinals.

Dakota State (S.D.) 74, Mayville State (N.D.) 68 – FINAL

• Mayville State took the first lead of the game at 2-0 after Thomas Gieske's basket with nineteen minutes and eleven seconds on the clock.
• Jordan Lynn nailed down three free-throws to give DSU a 3-2 lead with 18:53 in the first half.
• Both teams struggled to find its offense rhythm in the first eleven-minutes of the first half.
• Trailing 13-12, Dakota State went on a monstrous 16-4 scoring run capped by Jade Burma's basket for the first double digit lead of the game at 28-17 with 5:37 to go before halftime.
• Leading 30-21, Deshawn Kelly scored the final four points of the first half to balloon DSU's lead to 34-21 by intermission.
• Dakota State shot 46.7 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes and held Mayville State to 34.8 percent (8-of-23 field goals).
• After Comet Sam Grayson made a dunk to trim DSU's lead to 34-23, Jordan Lynn made a basket followed by Ronnie Latting's layup to give Trojans its biggest lead of the game at 38-23 with 18:53 left.
• Mayville State answered by scoring 10 straight points to trim Dakota State's lead to 38-33, capped by John Ketchel's basket with 16:56 left.
• With DSU leading 48-40 with 13:56 on the clock, the Comets went on 9-0 scoring run for the next three minutes.  Gieske made a basket as MSU regained their lead to 49-48 with less than 11 minutes to go in the game.
• Both teams traded leads for the next two minutes before the Comets stretched its lead.  Down 53-51, Mayville State went on a 7-0 scoring run to grab a 58-53 lead after Winder Joseph's layup.
• Dakota Stat answered back by scoring five straight points, highlighted by Maxwell Nielson's 3-pointer to tie the game at 58-58 with 5:12 left.
• Gieske made a pair of free-throws to put Mayville State up 62-60 with 3:40 remaining.
• Wood ignited DSU's scoring 6-0 scoring run with a dunk, followed by Lynn's basket and a 3-point play by Wood for a 66-62 lead with 2:03 left.
• Grayson made a tip-in as the Comets trailed 66-64 with 1:42 to go.  Wood added a free-throw to extend the Trojans lead to 67-64 with 1:29 remaining.
• Both teams couldn't score on their next possession.  MSU committed a foul with 40 seconds to go, sending Lynn to the free-throw line.  Lynn made both free-throws to stretch the Trojans' lead to 69-64.
• Colby Dillenbeck made a layup on the ensuing possession as the Comets trailed 69-66.
• Lynn added a free-throw to put DSU up 70-66, followed by Dillenbeck's dunk as the Comets trailed 70-68 with less than seven seconds to go.
• The Trojans secured the victory by making all four free-throws in the final seconds, a pair by Berto Gittens and Nielson.
• MSU outscored DSU 47-40 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Trojans shot 60 percent in the second half (15-of-25 field goals) compared to the Comets 45 percent (18-of-40 field goals). 
• Mayville State outrebounded Dakota State 10-2 on the offensive boards in the final twenty minutes. 
• Gittens poured in a game-high 21 points for DSU.  He was 9-of-15 from the field and converted 3-of-4 free-throws.  He pulled down five rebounds and registered two blocks.  Lynn added 15 points (7-of-9 free-throws).  He contributed five assists and stole the ball twice.
• Wood and Latting each scored nine points for the Trojans.  Latting had six rebounds and a blocked shot.  Wood had five rebounds.  Deshawn Kelly tallied seven points off the bench.
• Nielson scored five points for DSU.  Chris Morales dished out four assists. 
• Dillenbeck led Mayville State with 14 points on his 6-of-7 field goals off the bench.  He had five rebounds.  Gieske posted a double-double of 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.  Grayson had 11 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
• Latrelle Frankin had nine points and dished out five assists for the Comets.  Sebastian Griffin had nine points. 
• Dakota State shot a blazing 52.7 percent overall from the field (29-of-55 field goals) compared to Mayville State 41.3 percent (26-of-63 field goals).  The Trojans were 2-of-8 from the 3-point arc, while the Comets struggled by going 4-of-20 from the 3-point line.
• DSU converted 14-of-21 from the free-throw line.  MSU hit 12-of-17 free-throws.
• Mayville State outrebounded Dakota State 39-32 (16-7 on the offensive boards).
• The Trojans outscored the Comets 34-22 in bench points.
• There was a total of eight ties and nine lead changes in the game.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director