October 25, 2023

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Oct. 25, 2023)—The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball team (0-0 overall record) officially begins their 2023-24 season under first year head coach Darren Tighe with a pair of games this week.  The Trojans play both games on the road against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference. 

DSU travels to Newman Flanagan Center (3303 Rebecca Street) in Sioux City, Iowa, for the season opener on Thursday night.  The Trojans face Briar Cliff (Iowa) (0-0 overall record) with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

Dakota State takes on their rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) (0-0 overall record) for a Sunday afternoon matinee.  The game is set for 3 p.m. at the Corn Palace (604 N. Main Street) in Mitchell, S.D.  Both teams will meet for the second meeting of the season on Monday, Nov. 13, at DSU Fieldhouse.

Former head coach Gary Garner coached his final season at Dakota State last season (2022-23), completing with an overall record of 12-18 and 6-8 record in the North Star Athletic Association contests.  The Trojans finished sixth in the North Star Athletic Association and fell to Dickinson State (N.D.) 72-60 in the opening round.

Dakota State will be playing a total of seven games against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference this season, including a pair of games with Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).  DSU will also face Dordt (Iowa), Mount Marty (S.D.), Midland (Neb.), and Hastings on their non-conference schedule.

Up Next:   Dakota State continues their busy non-conference schedule with four games next week, starting on Nov. 1 at Sanford Pentagon versus Dordt (Iowa).  DSU is on the road Nov. 2 and plays home opener on Nov. 4-5.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) have a busy four-week schedule, playing a total of 11 games in those span.  The Trojans also play in a pair of classics in Lawrence, Kan., on Nov. 9-10 (Haskell Classic) and in Bellevue, Neb., on Nov. 17-18.
+ DSU is seeking for their first win over Briar Cliff (Iowa) since Nov. 21, 2017, where the Trojans defeated the nationally ranked Chargers' squad at DSU Fieldhouse by the score of 93-80.
+ Briar Cliff won the last meeting with Dakota State last season in the Dakota State Classic on Oct. 28, 2022, at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Chargers won by the score of 76-65, extending the winning streak in the series meeting to four games.
+ Dakota State is seeing for their first win over Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) at the Corn Palace since Jan. 16, 2013 (Trojans won by the score of 73-58). 
+ The Tigers defeated the Trojans 74-62 in last year's meeting at DSU Fieldhouse on Nov. 30, 2022.  DSU is seeking for their first win over DWU since Jan. 2, 2017, where the Trojans won by the score of 76-67 at DSU Fieldhouse.
+ Dakota State had hit double digit victories 11 times in the last 14 season.  The Trojans collected 12 victories during the 2022-23 season, and clinched a home court winning record at 7-6 for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
+ The Trojans play a total of 12 games during the month of November, including an exhibition game at NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Mankato on Nov. 21.
+ There is a total of 20 athletes listed on the 2023-24 Trojan men's basketball varsity roster.
 
Noteworthy...
DAKOTA STATE AT SANFORD PENTAGON:  Dakota State (S.D.) returns to the Sanford Pentagon for the second straight year as they take on Dordt (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  The game is part of the doubleheader with the women's basketball on Wednesday, Nov. 1, in Sioux Falls, S.D.  Advanced tickets are available online for purchase on https://apps.dsu.edu/forms/athletic/basketball-doubleheader.aspx, and close on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 12 p.m.

BUSY NOVEMBER SCHEDULE:  Dakota State will be playing a total of 14 games through November, including a pair of games in October.  The Trojans play four games at DSU Fieldhouse during the month of November.  DSU is also slated to play in a pair of tournaments, in the Haskell (Kan.) Classic held in Lawrence, Kan., on Nov. 9-10, and Fairfield Inn by Marriott Bruin Classic on Nov. 17-18 in Bellevue, Neb.

NSAA CONFERENCE SEASON BEINGS IN JANUARY:   The North Star Athletic Association conference schedule does not begin until January 2024.  The Trojans open their conference season on Saturday, Jan. 6 in Bellevue, Neb.  Each North Star member will be playing a total of 12 conference games, with six games at home and six contests on the road on their 2024 portion of the basketball schedule.
 
2023-24 DSU DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM OPENS SEASON NEXT WEEK:  The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball developmental team officially kicks off their season Monday at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).  The Trojans continue their action on Halloween as they visit Northwestern (Iowa).  DSU have scheduled a total of 11 games on their 2023-24 developmental team, including five games at DSU Fieldhouse with the home opener slated for Nov. 6 versus Dordt (Iowa).

Trojans picked to finish sixth in NSAA preseason poll
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 23, 2023)—The North Star Athletic Association announced its 2023-24 men's basketball coaches' preseason poll.  Dakota State (S.D.) was picked to finish sixth with 16 points.

Mayville State (N.D.) was the preseason favorite to win the North Star regular-season title after recording five first-place votes and 45 points.  Viterbo (Wis.) was second with one first-place vote and 41 points, followed by Dickinson State (N.D.) third with the final first-place vote and 38 points.

Valley City State (N.D.) was picked to finish fourth with 23 points, followed by Bellevue (Neb.) fifth with 19 points.  Waldorf (Iowa) was seventh after scoring 14 points to the conference's preseason poll.      

Each North Star Athletic Association member play a total of 12 conference games, playing six home games and six road contests.  The regular-season finale is set for Feb. 16-17, 2024.

All seven teams compete in the NSAA men's basketball postseason tournament, with the top seed receiving a bye in the opening round.  This year's conference tournament will be held at the campus sites' higher seed in each round, starting with the first round on Feb. 21, 2024, semifinals on Feb. 25, 2024, and the championship game on March 3, 2024.

2023-24 DSU men's basketball schedule overview
Madison, S.D. (Sept. 5, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.), under the guidance of first-year head coach Darren Tighe, have scheduled a total of 29 games on their 2023-24 schedule.  The schedule included an exhibition contest at NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Mankato on Nov. 21.

Dakota State prepares for the busiest week of the 2023-24 schedule from Oct. 29 through Nov. 5.  The Trojans are scheduled to play a total of five games in a span of seven days, wrapping up with a back-to-back home contests with Providence (Manitoba) on Nov. 4-5 at DSU Fieldhouse.

DSU plays their first preseason tournament on Nov. 9-10 in the Haskell (Kan.) Classic.  The Trojans face College of the Ozarks (Mo.) on the first day and host-team Haskell on the second day.  The following weekend on Nov. 16-17, Dakota State plays in another preseason tournament—Fairfield Inn by Marriott Bruin Classic.  The Trojans take on Harris-Stowe State (Mo.) on Nov. 16 and Ozark Christian (Mo.) on Nov. 17.

Besides their 12-game North Star Athletic Association slate, the Trojans play a total of 16 non-conference contests on their 2023-24 schedule.  Dakota State holds the longest home stand of three games during the month of January (Jan. 19-26) in the NSAA conference play versus Mayville State, Viterbo, and Waldorf.

2023-24 DSU men's basketball roster breakdown
Madison, S.D. (Oct. 25, 2023)—After long-time head coach Gary Garner retired at Dakota State after the basketball season last winter, a familiar face from the North Star Athletic Association had took over the reigns.  Darren Tighe, who was a conference Coach-of-the-Year in 2021, enters his first season as DSU men's basketball head coach.

Tighe is assisted by first year Dalton Kleinschmidt and graduate assistant Damien Luna, who is entering his third season at Dakota State.

The Trojans have 20 players listed on their 2023-24 varsity roster.  Five players return from last year's team, including a couple players from the developmental team (Taylor Edwards, Jace Kelley, Ethan Slaathaug, Scott Wagner, and Tanner Campos).  DSU have 15 new players to this year's roster (D'Montay Warner, Japjit Gill, Brayden Pankonen, Calvin Payne, Isaac Sumption, Josh Lewis, Kenny Haynes, Jase Brock, Uhana Ochan, Emmanuel Akpan, Onias Outlaw, Uzo Dibiamaka, Mison Coilton, Colby Dillenbeck, and Taine Mitchell.
 

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