January 6, 2023

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) pulled away past Valley City State (N.D.) 75-70 for the first North Star Athletic Association men's basketball victory Friday evening at DSU Fieldhouse, thanks to a 6-0 closing run in the final 1:11 of the game.  The game featured four ties and eight lead changes.  The Trojans earned their first home victory over the Vikings since Feb. 2, 2019.

Dakota State earned their second straight victory, improving to 7-9 overall record.  Valley City State fell to 8-8 overall record.  Both teams are 1-1 record in the league.

DSU stays home Saturday evening, hosting Dickinson State (N.D.) in another North Star contest at DSU Fieldhouse.  VCSU travels to Gordon Lozier Athletic Center for a league game with Bellevue (Neb.).  Both games are set for 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Dakota State (S.D.) 75, Valley City State (N.D.) 70 – FINAL

• Deshawn Kelly drained a 3-pointer followed by Sam Muller's basket (both assisted by Gavyn Strand) to give the Trojans a 5-0 opening lead with 17:52 on the clock.
• Leading 7-4, Dakota State went on a 10-0 scoring outburst to post the biggest lead of the game.  Ben Hoeverson hit a 3-pointer (assisted by Ronnie Latting) ballooned the Trojans' lead to 17-4 with 12:19 to go in the first half.
• With DSU leading 23-12, Valley City State rallied back with a 12-2 scoring run sparked by a Duoth Gach's 3-pointer.  Cleveland Bedgood capped the scoring run with a free-throw to cut DSU's lead to 25-24 with less than four minutes to go before halftime.
• Trailing 29-26, the Vikings went on a 7-0 run to earn their first lead of the game.  Gach made a fast-break dunk (assisted by Duke Carey) for a 33-29 lead with less than a minute to go.
• VCSU led 33-30 by halftime.  Both teams struggled from the field with DSU shooting 36.4 percent (12-of-33 field goals) and VCSU 33.3 percent (9-of-27 field goals). 
• Hunter Lyman kicked off the second half with a basket as the Vikings stretched their lead to 35-30 with 19:36 on the clock.
• Dakota State answered with a 10-0 scoring run, regaining their lead to 40-35 with 17:06 left after Latting's 3-point play.
• Valley City State then went on a 5-0 run to knot the game at 40-40, capped by Gach's basket with 15:39 remaining.
• DSU went on a 9-1 scoring run to open a 49-41 lead after a pair of free-throws by Kelly with 13:51 to go.
• Muller hit a pair of free-throws with 10:31 left in the game to give the Trojans a 57-48 lead.
• Valley City State went on a 14-2 scoring tear in a span of four-plus minutes, regaining their lead at 62-59 after a 3-pointer by Daevonte Munson with 5:14 remaining.
• Kelly hit a 3-pointer with 4:21 left to record the third tie of the game at 64-64.
• Both teams traded leads for the next three minutes.  Munson hit a pair of free-throws as the Vikings grabbed a 70-69 lead with 1:52 left.
• Kelly made a fast-break lay-up (assisted by Muller) with 1:11 to go, giving DSU a 71-70 lead.
• VCSU missed a 3-pointer on the next possession, and was rebounded by Kelly with less than 45 seconds to go.
• The Vikings committed a foul on the Trojans, sending Joshua Holloway to the free-throe line with 33.9 seconds left.  He hit the first free-throw to extend DSU's lead to 72-70 and missed the second free-throw attempt.
• Lattting rebounded the free-throw attempt to maintain possession for the Trojans.  VCSU committed another foul to send Strand to the free-throw line with 28.5 seconds left.
• Strand made the first free-throw attempt for 73-70 DSU lead.  He missed the second free-throw attempt and was rebounded by VCSU's Lyman.
• The Vikings missed another 3-pointer on the next possession and was rebounded by DSU's Strand.  He dished an assist to Kelly's layup on the fast break opportunity and secured the victory at 75-70.
• Dakota State outscored Valley City State 45-37 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Trojans shot a blazing 68.4 percent in the second half (13-of-19 field goals) and held the Vikings to 36.1 percent from the field (13-of-36 field goals).
• Kelly posted a double-double of 22 points (8-of-14 field goals) and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds for DSU.  Muller scored a season-high 20 points on his 6-of-9 field goals and 7-of-10 free-throws.  He also had four rebounds and three assists.
• Strand tallied 12 points, dished out game-high eight assists, and pulled down seven rebounds in his first collegiate start at Dakota State.  Hoverson added 12 points and seven rebounds.  He had two blocked shots.  Kelly and Strand each had two steals.
• Latting scored seven points and collected seven rebounds for the Trojans.
• Lyman led the Vikings with 19 points on his 7-of-10 field goals and 5-of-5 free-throws.  Gach added 13 points.  Munson had 10 points.  Gach and Munson each had five rebounds.  Bedgood had six points.
• Lyman, Cayden Rickard, Gach, Munson and Carey each stole the ball twice for VCSU. 
• Dakota State shot 48.1 percent overall from the field (25-of-52 field goals) compared to Valley City State 34.9 percent (22-of-63 field goals).  DSU was 9-of-27 from the 3-point arc, while VCSU was 7-of-24 3-pointers.
• The Trojans were 16-of-25 from the free-throw line.  The Vikings hit 19-of-24 free-throws.
• DSU outrebounded VCSU 39-35 in the game. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director