January 14, 2023

ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) and Presentation (S.D.) battled back and forth in a closely tight North Star Athletic Association men's basketball action Saturday evening at Strode Center, featuring 10 ties and 12 lead changes.  The Trojans held off the Saints' late comeback for a 69-67 victory.

Dakota State improved to 8-11 overall record and 2-3 record in the North Star.  Presentation dropped their seventh straight game, falling to 5-12 overall record and remained winless in five conference contests (0-5 NSAA conference record).

DSU remains on the road next weekend, visiting Viterbo (Wis.) Friday and Waldorf (Iowa) next Saturday to wrap up the first half portion of the North Star Athletic Association schedule.  Next weekend also marks the conclusion of their four-game North Star road stretch.

Dakota State (S.D.) 69, Presentation (S.D.) 67 – FINAL

• Ronnie Latting kicked off the game with four straight points to give Dakota State a 4-0 lead after a dunk with 17 minutes, 21 seconds on the clock.
• Deshawn Kelly completed a three-point play with 15:09 left in the first half, recording the biggest lead of the game at 9-2 for the Trojans.
• The Saints answered back by scoring the next five points, capped by Jeremiah Gilyard's 3-pointer to trim DSU's lead to 9-7 with 13:25 to go in the first half.
• Leading 17-14, Ben Hoverson highlighted with back-to-back baskets as DSU led 22-17 with less than ten minutes before halftime.
• Isaac Sumption capped PC's 5-0 scoring run with a pair of free-throws to knot the game at 22-22 with 6:41 to go in the first half.
• Kelly closed the first half with a basket as Dakota State grabbed a 34-29 halftime lead.
• DSU shot a blazing 51.9 percent from the field (14-of-27 field goals) and held PC to 35.7 percent (10-of-28 field goals).
• Presentation kicked off the second half by scoring five straight points, highlighted by Sumption's 3-pointer to tie the game at 34-34 with 18:50 remaining.
• Dakota State then scored the next four points (Latting and Sam Muller) to regain their lead at 38-34 with 17:09 left.
• Both teams traded leads, tied the game, with the lead no greater than four points by the Trojans for a span of 12-plus minutes.
• Latting hit a basket with less than five minutes to go as the Trojans stretched its lead to 58-52.
• Presentation regained the lead at 60-59 after using an 8-1 scoring run, highlighted by Gilyard's 3-pointer with less than three minutes to go.
• Trailing 62-61, Muller hit a pair of free-throws followed by Kelly's basket to give Dakota State a 65-62 lead with less than 50 seconds left.
• Tyrese Eugene hit a pair of free-throws as the Saints trailed 65-64 with 41 seconds to go.
• Latting scored a basket on the next possession to put DSU up 67-64 with less than 25 seconds remaining.
• PC missed a scoring opportunity on the ensuing possession.  Ethan Slaathaug rebounded the ball and was fouled by the Saints.
• Slaathaug made the second free-throw attempt to give DSU a 68-64 lead with 12 seconds to go.
• Travez Nyx drained a 3-pointer with less than seven seconds to go as the Saints trimmed DSU's lead to 68-67.
• Presentation committed a foul on the next possession, sending Slaathaug to the free-throw line.  He made the second free-throw attempt to secure the victory at 69-67.
• The Saints outscored the Trojans 38-35 in the second half.  PC shot 51.9 percent from the field (14-of-27 field goals) compared to the Trojans 46.4 percent (13-of-28 field goals).
• A pair DSU players posted double-doubles in the game, led by Latting with 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.  He was 8-of-13 from the field.  Muller added 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.  Kelly scored 13 points and collected eight rebounds.
• Chris Morales and Hoverson each tallied seven points for DSU.  Morales, Muller, Latting, Joshua Holloway, Ethan Damerum, and Slaathaug each registered a steal.
• Nyx led the Saints with 22 points on his 9-of-14 field goals.  He stole the ball three times and recorded a blocked shot.  Gilyward scored 13 points off the bench on his 6-of-9 field goals, including 4-of-7 from the 3-point arc.  He had four rebounds.
• Ontario Chapman, Sumption, and Eugene each had seven points for Presentation.  Chapman had five rebounds.
• Dakota State shot 27-of-55 field goals overall (49.1 percent) compared to Presentation 43.6 percent (24-of-55 field goals). 
• Both teams struggled at the free-throw line, with DSU hitting 13-of-23 free-throws (56.5 percent) and PC making 13-of-22 free-throws (59.1 percent). 
• DSU outrebounded PC 35-26. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director