January 12, 2024

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) used a late first half scoring run to take an eight-point lead over host-team Valley City State (N.D.) Friday evening in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball action at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.  The Trojans held off Vikings' late comeback, securing their first conference win of the season with an 81-72 victory.

Dakota State and Valley City State had alternated victories in the last five meetings.  The Trojans had earned their second win in the last three meetings held on VCSU's home court (DSU scored at least 80 points in those victories – 86 points on Jan. 7, 2022, in 86-78 victory).

DSU snapped their three-game losing skid, improving their overall record to 11-7 and evened their North Star conference record to 1-1.  Valley City State fell to 8-7 overall record and was playing their first NSAA conference contest this season (0-1 NSAA conference record).

Dakota State wraps up their three-game road trip Saturday evening as they visit Dickinson State (N.D.).  Tip-off from the Scott Gymnasium is set for 6 p.m. (Central Time)/5 p.m. (Mountain Time).

Dakota State (S.D.) 81, Valley City State (N.D.) 72 – FINAL

Cayden Rickard drained a 3-pointer to give Valley City State their first lead of the game at 3-0 with nineteen minutes, ten seconds on the clock.

Dakota State then went on a 7-0 scoring run, with five points from Mison Coilton and a 3-pointer from Uzo Dibiamaka.  The Trojans led 7-3 after Coilton's basket with 17:10 to go in the first half.

Knotted at 14-14, the Vikings went on a 9-2 scoring run to grab a 23-16 lead after a pair of free-throws by Rickard with less than ten minutes to go before halftime.

VCSU maintained their lead between three- and seven-points for the next five minutes before DSU mounted a late first half scoring run.

Trailing 31-28, the Trojans sparked a 12-0 outburst and held Valley City State scoreless for nearly four minutes.  Coilton ignited the scoring run with a basket, followed by a 3-pointer from Brayden Pankonen as the Trojans regained their lead at 33-31 with less than four minutes to go in the first half.

DSU continued the scoring run with a pair of free-throws from Emmanuel Akpan followed by Pankonen's 3-pointer for 38-31 lead with 2:37 on the clock in the first.  Uhana Ochan capped DSU's outburst with a basket to give the Trojans the biggest lead of the first half at 40-31 with 1:29 left.

Valley City State ended their scoring drought with a free-throw from Jerome Washington as Dakota State held a 40-32 halftime lead.

DSU shot 15-of-37 from the field (40.5 percent) in the first twenty minutes of the game and held VCSU to 35.7 percent (10-of-28 field goals). 

Valley City State kicked off the second half with a 4-0 run to trim DSU's lead to 40-36 after Agwa Nywesh's basket with 19:25 remaining.

Dakota State stretched their lead back to nine points at 49-40 after a 3-pointer from Pankonen (assisted by Japjit Gill) with 17:10 left.

The Trojans grabbed the first double digit lead and the largest lead of the game at 53-42 after Kenny Haynes' basket with 16:06 remaining.

DSU maintained their lead between four- and ten-points for the majority of the second half.  Coilton hit a basket inside the paint to give the Trojans 67-57 lead with 9:45 to go in the game.

The Vikings scored the next four points to trim DSU's lead to 67-61 with less than nine minutes remaining after Ladarious Stanfield's basket.

Both teams struggled to score for the span of nearly four minutes.  VCSU snapped the scoring drought with a pair of free-throws from Washington, cutting DSU's lead to 67-63 with 5:02 left.

Coilton made a layup on the ensuing possession for Trojans' 69-63 lead, while Washington answered with a 3-pointer as VCSU trailed 69-66 with 4:31 to go.

Josh Lewis hit a basket inside the paint as Dakota State extended their lead to 71-67 with 3:23 left.  Washington answered with a 3-pointer as Valley City State could get no closer than one point at 71-70 with 3:11 to go.

Holding a slim 73-72 lead, Dakota State shut down VCSU in the final 2:03 of the game.  Lewis hit a pair of free-throws to extend DSU's lead to 75-72 with 1:52 remaining, while Akpan added a basket to put DSU up 77-72 with 1:11 left.

Dakota State secured the victory as Pankonen converted four free-throws in the final 26 seconds of the game. 

The Trojans outscored the Vikings 41-40 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  DSU shot a blazing 56.7 percent from the field (17-of-30 field goals) compared to VCSU 43.3 percent (13-of-30 field goals).

Coilton posted a double-double season-highs of 26 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for Dakota State.  He was 12-of-21 from the field.  Pankonen added 15 points and four rebounds.  He stole the ball three times.  Haynes scored 10 points off the bench.

Dibiamaka tallied eight points for the Trojans.  Akpan scored six points and collected a game-high 11 rebounds.  Lewis scored seven points off the bench.  Ochan had five rebounds.

Washington scored 16 points off the bench on his 4-of-8 field goal, 3-of-7 3-pointers, and 5-of-6 free-throws for Valley City State.  Rickard and Cleveland Bedgood each scored 12 points.  Stanfield and Odier Olange each had nine points.

Olange grabbed nine rebounds for the Vikings.  Caden Grinde dished out three assists.  Nywesh stole the ball three times.

Dakota State shot 47.8 percent overall from the field (32-of-67 field goals) and held Valley City State to 39.7 percent (23-of-58 field goals).  Both teams made five 3-pointers. 

VCSU took advantage of 21-of-30 free-throws (70 percent), while DSU was 12-of-17 free-throws (70.6 percent).

The Trojans outrebounded the Vikings 42-34 in the game.  Dakota State outscored Valley City State 11-4 in second chance points.

DSU scored 48 points inside the paint compared to VCSU 22 points.