January 13, 2023

MAYVILLE, N.D. – The lone North Star Athletic Association men's basketball leader Mayville State (N.D.) scored the game's final four points Friday evening to break the 80-80 tie into an 84-80 victory over Dakota State (S.D.) at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.  The Comets remained undefeated in the North Star conference play with a 4-0 record.

Dakota State fell to 7-11 overall record and 1-3 NSAA conference record.  Mayville State ballooned their winning streak to nine games to raise their overall record to 14-3.

The Trojans look to swing back in the winning column as they continue their NSAA's road trip at Presentation (S.D.) Saturday.  Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. at Strode Center in Aberdeen, S.D.  Mayville State remains home as they host Bellevue (Neb.) on the same day.

Mayville State (N.D.) 84, Dakota State (S.D.) 80 – FINAL

• Mayville State kicked off the game with a 6-0 scoring run, capped by back-to-back baskets from Thomas Gieske with 17 minutes, 13 seconds on the clock.
• Dakota State ended their three-plus minutes scoring drought with a layup by Deshawn Kelly, trailing 6-2 with 16:55 to go in the first half.
• Trailing 8-4, Dakota State went on a 10-0 scoring run highlighted by Kelly's 3-pointer for 14-9 lead with 13:42 left in the first.
• The Trojans' lead grew to 25-17 with 8:40 on the clock after Kelly's layup (assisted by Chris Morales).
• After a pair of free-throws by Ronnie Latting to put DSU up 35-27, Mayville State closed the first half with a 14-0 scoring run in the final 3:56.  Gieske made a layup to close the first half as the Comets grabbed a 41-35 halftime lead.
• MSU shot a sizzling 68 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes of the game (17-of-25 field goals) compared to DSU 41.9 percent (13-of-31 field goals). 
• Mayville State's scoring run was extended to 16-0 after kicking off the second half.  Winder Joseph made a basket as the Comets ballooned their lead to 43-35 with 19:32 remaining.
• Latting ended DSU's scoring run after a 3-point play as the Trojans trailed 43-37 with 19:03 to go.
• Morales drained a 3-pointer with 18:01 remaining (assisted by Manny N'tula) as the Trojans trimmed MSU's lead to 47-43.
• Mayville State then went on a 9-2 scoring run for the first double digit lead of the game at 56-45 with 16:22 left.
• DSU roared back by scoring 13 straight points to regain their lead.  Kelly, Latting, Morales and Ethan Damerum took part in the scoring surge as the Trojans led 58-56 with 12:53 left in the game after Kelly's layup (assisted by Morales).
• Both teams battled back and forth with a lead no greater than three points by the Trojans.  Leading 72-71, Sam Muller scored the next four points to widen DSU's lead to 76-71 with 5:13 remaining.
• Mayville State went on a 7-0 scoring run to earn a 78-76 lead after a 3-point play by Sebastian Griffin with 3:47 left.
• After struggling to score for two-plus minutes, Damerum hit a basket as the Trojans tied the game at 78-78 with 1:21 left.
• Joseph answered on the next possession with a layup as MSU led 80-78 with 1:08 to go.
• Muller then made a layup (assisted by Damerum) on the ensuing possession as Dakota State tied the game at 80-80 with less than a minute to go.
• The Comets led 82-80 after Griffin made a basket with 30 seconds left.
• The Trojans committed a turnover on the next possession as the Comets gained possession.  A foul committed by DSU sent Joseph to the free-throw line.  Joseph missed the first free-throw attempt and made the second one as MSU led 83-80 with less than 18 seconds to go.
• DSU was unable to convert on the next possession and was rebounded by Comet Jamison Kramer with less than five seconds to go.  The Trojans committed a foul to send Kramer to the free-throw line, making a free-throw to secure the victory.
• Dakota State outscored Mayville State 45-43 in the second half.  The Trojans shot a blazing 65.4 percent from the field (17-of-26 field goals) in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Comets were 46.7 percent (14-of-30 field goals).
• MSU hit 13-of-20 from the free-throw line in the second half while DSU was 9-of-11 free-throws.
• Kelly paced the Trojans with 20 points on his 7-of-14 field goals and 5-of-6 free-throws for Dakota State.  He had five rebounds.  Latting added 15 points (6-of-10 field goals) and four rebounds.
• Muller and Ben Hoverson each tallied 10 points for the Trojans.  Muller dished out four assists.  Damerum added nine points and five assists off the bench.  Morales had seven points and four rebounds.  N'tula scored six points and stole the ball four times.
• Griffin had 18 points on his 8-of-13 field goals and grabbed nine rebounds for MSU.  Joseph added 15 points.  Gieske scored 12 points and pulled down five rebounds. 
• Trent Blackshire tallied 11 points off the bench for the Comets.  Kramer had eight points.  J. Canahuate had nine points off the bench. 
• Mayville State shot 56.4 percent overall from the field (31-of-55 field goals) compared to Dakota State 52.6 percent (30-of-57 field goals).  The Trojans were 7-of-21 from the 3-point arc, while the Comets were 4-of-11 3-pointers.
• MSU made 18 free-throws in 26 tries (69.2 percent).  DSU was 13-of-15 from the free-throw line (86.7 percent).
• The Comets outrebounded the Trojans 32-25.  Both teams scored 46 points inside the paint. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director