January 27, 2023

Photos credit by Mike Black

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) kicked off their season-high four-game home stand Friday evening as they never trailed in the 40-minute North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans defeated Waldorf (Iowa) 71-62, earning a season series split after their first meeting six days earlier in Forest City, Iowa.

Dakota State improved their overall record to 9-13 and 3-5 NSAA conference record.  Waldorf dropped to 6-14 overall record and 2-6 record in the league.  It was DSU's third straight home victory over WU in the series meeting.

The Trojans stay home Saturday evening for another North Star contest versus Viterbo (Wis.).  The game is set for 5 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

Dakota State (S.D.) 71, Waldorf (Iowa) 62 – FINAL

• Chris Morales drained a 3-pointer to kick off the game (assisted by Ronnie Latting) to give Dakota State a 3-0 lead with nineteen minutes, forty-one seconds on the clock.
• Both teams struggled offensively in the next three-plus minutes before the Trojans extended their lead to 5-0 after a basket by Morales with 16:21 on the clock in the first half.
• Waldorf snapped a four-minutes scoring drought with a basket by Tyree'on Johnson (DSU led 5-2).
• DSU's lead grew to 10-4 after a 3-pointer by Gavyn Strand (assisted by Ethan Damerum) with 14:41 to go in the first.
• The Warriors would trim DSU's lead to 12-11 after a basket by Johnson with 13:23 on the clock.
• Dakota State went on a 12-3 scoring tear, highlighted by a monstrous dunk by Ben Hoverson (assisted by Morales) for a 25-14 lead with 5:37 to go before halftime.
• After Justin Wiggins made a field goal on the next possession as WU trimmed DSU's lead to 25-16, both DSU and WU were unable to score for a span of nearly three minutes.
• The Trojans snapped their scoring drought with a basket by Strand, extending their lead to 27-16 with 2:29 to go in the first half.
• Noah Miller hit a pair of free-throws with just a few seconds before halftime for Waldorf.  Dakota State maintained a 30-22 lead.
• DSU shot 38.2 percent from the field (13-of-34 field goals) in the first half compared to WU 34.6 percent (9-of-26 field goals).  The Trojans were 4-of-12 from the 3-point arc, while the Warriors missed all seven 3-point field goal attempts.
• The Trojans maintained their lead between eight- and 12-points for the first four-and-half minutes of the second half.
• Latting made a layup (assisted by Morales) to give Dakota State the biggest lead of the game at 43-30 with 15:08 remaining.
• With DSU leading 45-32, the Warriors went on a 6-0 scoring run capped by Johnson's basket (assisted by Miller) as they cut their deficit to 45-38 with 12:40 left.
• Dakota State answered with a 5-0 run to regain their double digit lead to 50-38 after a 3-pointer by Deshawn Kelly with 11 minutes to go.
• Waldorf used an 8-2 scoring run to cut Dakota State's lead to 59-55 with 3:19 left after Miller's basket with 3:19 remaining.
• Holding a 61-57 lead, Dakota State went on to score seven straight points to earn the double digit lead at 68-57 after a pair of free-throws by Kelly with less than 45 seconds to go.
• Waldorf could get no closer than seven points at 69-62 as the Trojans secured the victory.
• DSU outscored WU 41-40 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Trojans shot 52.2 percent from the field (12-of-23 field goals) and made 16-of-21 free-throws in the second half.  WU was 50 percent from the field (16-of-32 field goals) and 6-of-11 free-throws.
• Four players scored in double digits for Dakota State, paced by Kelly with 22 points.  He was 6-of-9 from the field and made 8-of-9 free-throws.  He also pulled down seven rebounds and stole the ball three times. 
• Morales scored a season-high 16 points and dished out five assists for DSU.  Latting added 13 points, six rebounds, and two blocks.  Both Morales and Latting went 6-of-10 from the field.
• Strand tallied 12 points and four rebounds for the Trojans.  Sam Muller had four rebounds.  Hoverson registered three blocked shots.  Joshua Holloway and Damerum each stole the ball twice.
• Johnson led the Warriors with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds.  He had five assists and stole the ball three times.  Khyle Washington added 15 points and seven rebounds.
• Miller scored 13 points for Waldorf.  Fredery Cuello pulled down five rebounds. 
• Dakota State shot 43.9 percent overall from the field (25-of-57 field goals) compared to Waldorf 43.1 percent (25-of-58 field goals).
• DSU hit 16-of-21 free-throws (all in the second half).  WU made 10-of-18 free-throws.
• The Trojans had a slim rebounding advantage, outrebounding the Warriors 37-36.
• Dakota State outscored Waldorf 10-3 in points off turnovers.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director