December 2, 2023

ST. BONIFACIUS, Minn. – Dakota State (S.D.) built a 13-point halftime lead over NCAA Division III Crown (Minn.) Saturday evening at the Athletic Center, holding off the Polars' second-half comeback as the Trojans held on to a 69-59 victory.  The victory also gave head coach Darren Tighe his 150^th overall career collegiate victory.

Dakota State lifted their overall record to 10-4, earning their 10^th victory in the last 11 games.  The Trojans went 2-0 record against members of NCAA Division II and Upper Midwest Athletic Conference foes this season (defeated Martin Luther, Minn., last month).  Crown suffered their third straight setback, falling to 5-3 overall record.

DSU takes a week off to prepare for the finals and returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 13.  The Trojans stay on the road as they travel to Midland (Neb.) in Fremont, Neb.  The game tips off at 6 p.m. at Wikert Event Center.

Dakota State (S.D.) 69, Crown (Minn.) 59 – FINAL

Mison Coilton hit a basket to give the Trojans their first lead of the game at 2-0 with nineteen minutes, forty-eight seconds on the clock.  Crown answered with a 3-pointer by Jacob Masek for a 3-2 lead with 18:22 to go in the first half.

Trailing 7-5, Dakota State went on a 16-6 scoring run to open a 21-13 lead capped by Uhana Ochan's basket (assisted by Brayden Pankonen) with 9:08 to go before halftime.

The Trojans maintained their lead between four- and eight-points for a straight of four-plus minutes before widening their lead to nine points.  Kenny Haynes drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Japjit Gill) to put Dakota State up 34-25 with 4:44 remaining in the first half.

DSU hit a pair of three-pointers to close the first half from Pankonen and Haynes, stretching their lead to 40-27 by halftime.

The Trojans shot a blazing 53.3 percent from the field (16-of-30 field goals), including 7-of-17 from the 3-point line.  The Polars were held to 34.3 percent from the field (12-of-35 field goals) and 1-of-9 from the 3-point arc.

Coilton hit a layup to give Dakota State their biggest lead of the game at 42-27 with 19:42 remaining.  The Trojans maintained their double-digit lead for the first three-plus minutes of the second half before the Polars trimmed their deficit into single digit.

With DSU leading 44-32, Crown went on a 9-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from Jacob Van Dam.  The Polars cut the Trojans' lead to 44-41 with 13:51 left.

Dakota State scored the next four points with a pair of free-throws from Josh Lewis followed by a basket by Haynes, extending their lead to 48-41 with less than 12 minutes to go in the game.

The Polars rallied back within three points after Van Dam's 3-pointers, trimming DSU's lead to 51-48 with 9:26 left.

The Trojans kept their lead until Crown knotted the game at 59-59 after a basket from Tyrus Buckner with 4:31 left.

DSU held Crown scoreless in the final 4:31, fueling a 10-0 closing run to secure the victory.  Gill kicked off the scoring run with a basket, while Pankonen scored the game's final eight points.

The Polars outscored the Trojans 32-29 in the final twenty minutes of the game.

Pankonen led the Trojans with 14 points.  He was 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.  He grabbed four rebounds, dished out three assists, and stole the ball twice.  Haynes added 14 points and six rebounds off the bench.  Gill tallied 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists.

Emmanual Akpan, Coilton, and Ochan each added nine points for DSU.  Akpan collected nine rebounds and registered two blocks.  Lewis had five rebounds.

Elijah Morris led the Polars with 13 points and five rebounds off the bench.  Buckner added 11 points and nine rebounds.  Cade Carroll posted a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds.  Jacob Masek had nine points and four rebounds.  Van Dam scored eight points and contributed three assists.  Micah Ladd had a game-high nine assists.

Dakota State shot 41.8 percent overall from the field (23-of-55 field goals) compared to Crown 34.3 percent (24-of-70 field goals).  The Trojans hit 7-of-23 3-pointers, while the Polars were limited to 3-of-21 3-pointers. 

DSU hit 16-of-26 free-throws (61.5 percent).  Crown was 8-of-16 free-throws (50 percent). 

The Polars outrebounded the Trojans 43-36, including 16-8 on the offensive boards.  Crown outscored Dakota State 20-5 in second chance points.  DSU outscored Crown 15-9 in points off turnovers.