November 5, 2023

MADISON, S.D. – All thirteen Dakota State (S.D.) men's basketball players scored in the game Sunday afternoon, hitting the century mark for the first time this season with a 103-63 victory over Providence (Manitoba) at DSU Fieldhouse.  It was the third straight victory for the Trojans after starting the season at 0-3 record.

DSU improved their overall record to 3-3.  The Pilots were playing an exhibition contest.  Dakota State was playing their fifth game in the last eight days.

The Trojans play their first preseason tournament of the season Thursday in the Haskell (Kan.) Classic.  Dakota State takes on College of the Ozarks (Mo.) with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.  DSU plays the host team Haskell on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m.  The tournament is being played at Coffin Sports Complex in Lawrence, Kan.

Dakota State (S.D.) 103, Providence (Manitoba) 63 – FINAL

Dakota State never trailed in the 40-minutes ball game as they opened with a 7-2 lead after Japjit Gill's 3-pointer (assisted by Mison Coilton) with seventeen minutes, forty-two seconds on the clock.

The Pilots could get no closer than two points at 7-5 when Riley Paul made a free-throw with 13:52 to go in the first half.

Kenny Haynes hit a 3-pointer (assisted by Brayden Pankonen) as the Trojans earned their first double digit lead of the game at 22-11 with 10:09 on the clock in the first.

DSU led as many as 14 points in the first half at 33-19 with a basket by Uhana Ochan with 4:30 remaining before halftime.

Haynes drained a 3-pointer to close the first half as Dakota State held a 38-28 halftime lead.  The Trojans shot 15-of-35 from the field (42.9 percent) in the first twenty minutes compared to the Pilots 31.3 percent (10-of-32 field goals).

DSU exploded for 16 straight points to kick off their second half on a 14-0 outburst, thanks to their 7-of-9 field goals shooting.  The Trojans used six different scorers during their second half scoring run – Gill, Coilton, Ethan Slaathaug, Emmanuel Akpan, and Haynes.

Haynes capped the scoring run with a 3-pointer to balloon Dakota State's lead to 55-28 with 15:40 left.

Taylor Edwards made a layup (assisted by Bryant Paulson) with less than one minute to go in the game for DSU's biggest lead of the game at 103-60. 

Dakota State outscored Providence 65-35 in the second half, thanks to their blazing 73.5 field goal percentage (25-of-34 field goals).  The Pilots were held to 31 percent from the field (9-of-29 field goals).

Haynes poured in a game-high 25 points on his 9-of-14 from the field and 5-of-10 from the 3-point arc for the Trojans.  Coilton added 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.  Akpan scored 13 points and pulled down four rebounds.

Slaathaug tallied 12 points and dished out three assists for DSU.  Gill added 11 points and contributed eight assists.  He stole the ball four times.  Pankonen had five assists and four steals.  Josh Lewis scored eight points and recorded three steals off the bench.  Edwards had seven points and three rebounds.

Emmanuel Oleko had a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds for Providence.  Pal added 14 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.  Ilijah Roque had 13 points.  Blake Garing scored eight points. 

Dakota State shot a season high 58 percent from the field (40-of-69 field goals) and hit 11 3-pointers in 27 tries (40.7 percent).  Providence was limited to 31.1 percent (19-of-61 field goals) and 8-of-29 3-pointers (27.6 percent).  The Trojans were 12-of-18 from the free-throw line.  PU hit 17-of-24 free-throws.

Both teams collected 39 rebounds in the game.  The Trojans produced a season-high 29 assists.

DSU outscored PU 22-0 in fast break points, 26-5 in points off turnovers, 56-18 inside the paint, and 51-25 in bench points.