January 17, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Jan. 10, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball team (12-7 overall record, 2-1 North Star Athletic Association record) comes home this weekend to kick off their three-game North Star Athletic Association home stand at DSU Fieldhouse.  It is the first time in more than a month that the Trojans play on their home court, where they hold a 4-1 record this season.

The Trojans welcome Viterbo (Wis.) (6-11 overall record, 0-2 NSAA conference record) in the Coaches' vs. Cancer contest, helping raise cancer awareness.  DSU will be unveiling their cancer awareness jerseys in the game.  Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

Dakota State stays home on Saturday evening, hosting Waldorf (Iowa) (6-10 overall record, 1-1 NSAA conference record).  The Trojan men's basketball team will be holding their Military Appreciation Night.  The game is set for 5 p.m.  Fans are encouraged to wear pink clothing or items to the contest to support cancer awareness.

The Trojans went 2-0 record in North Dakota last weekend.  The Trojans defeated Valley City State (N.D.) 81-72 on Jan. 12, followed by a 59-53 road victory at Dickinson State (N.D.) on Jan. 13.  It was the first time since 2014-15 season that DSU defeated VCSU and DiSU in back-to-back road games. 

Waldorf kicked off the North Star conference season with a 86-70 road victory at Viterbo on Jan. 10.  The V-Hawks lost to Mayville State (N.D.) 88-71 on Jan. 12, while the Warriors fell short in overtime thriller to the Comets on Jan. 13 by the score of 85-78.

Up Next:  DSU wraps up their first half of NSAA schedule on Jan. 26 versus (RV) Mayville State (N.D.) in Ag Ball.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) is 2-1 record in the North Star Athletic Association contests this season, sitting in second place in the conference standings.
+ The Trojans won the most recent meeting with Viterbo (Wis.) at DSU Fieldhouse on Jan. 28, 2023.  DSU won by the score of 80-76.  Both teams went 3-3 record in the last six meetings.
+ Dakota State won four times in the last five meetings with Waldorf (Iowa), including the most recent meeting with the Warriors on Jan. 27, 2023, at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans won by the score of 71-62.
+ This is the first time this season that Dakota State, Viterbo, and Waldorf won't be playing on back-to-back weekends, which they  had traditionally played in the past few seasons.
+ The Trojans conclude their first half portion of the North Star Athletic Association season with a three-game home stand at DSU Fieldhouse.  DSU hosts (RVI Mayville State (N.D.) in the annual Ag Ball contest on Friday, Jan. 26.
+ Dakota State is 4-1 record at home this season.  Viterbo is 1-6 record on the road, while Waldorf is 4-5 record.
+ DSU is playing their first home contest at DSU Fieldhouse in the 2024 portion of the calendar.  The Trojans' last home contest was on Dec. 16 where they fell short to (RV) Hastings (Neb.) by the score of 72-67.
+ Dakota State is averaging 83.4 points per game at DSU Fieldhouse this season.  The Trojans also hold their opponents to 71.8 points per game on DSU's home court.
 
Noteworthy...
DSU'S THREE-GAME ROAD TRIP RECAP:  Despite a 69-68 heartbreaker at Bellevue (Neb.) to open the North Star conference play on Jan. 6, Dakota State (S.D.) swept a pair of opponents in North Dakota last weekend to go 2-1 record in conference play.  The Trojans averaged 69.3 points during the three-game road trip, while holding their opponents to 64.7 points per game.  DSU recorded 44 percent field goal shooting and held the opponents to 39.9 percent.

TROJANS IN THE NSAA CONFERENCE RANKS:   According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, Dakota State ranks second in the North Star conference in scoring defense with 64.7 points per game in league games.  The Trojans are fourth in the NSAA scoring with 69.3 points per game.  Mison Coilton averages 18.7 points per conference game, which is third in the North Star.  He is also fourth in the league with 9.0 rebounds per game, while Emmanuel Akpan is tied for sixth with 8.0 rebounds per game.

DAKOTA STATE AT HOME:  Dakota State won the first four home games of the season in the 2023 calendar year before closing with a 72-67 setback to (RV) Hastings (Neb.) on Dec. 16.  The Trojans are shooting 47.8 percent from the field at home this season (161-of-337 field goals).  DSU is also outrebounding its opponents with an average of 41.8 rebounds to opponents 37.6 rebounds per game.
 
2023-24 DSU DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM SEASON UPDATES:  The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball developmental team returned to action after winter break on Jan. 16.  The Trojans fell to Mount Marty (S.D.) in Yankton, S.D. on Jan. 16, by the score of 81-55.  DSU returns home Thursday to play home-and-away series with Dordt (Iowa) at DSU Fieldhouse, and in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Monday evening.

Trojans hold off VCSU for first conference victory
Valley City, N.D. (Jan. 12, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) used a late first half scoring run to take an eight-point halftime lead over Valley City State (N.D.) at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.  The Trojans held off Vikings' late comeback, securing the first conference win of the season with an 81-72 victory.

Both teams traded leads in the early going before Valley City State maintained their lead between three– and seven-points before DSU's scoring run.  Trailing 31-28, the Trojans sparked a 12-0 run and held VCSU scoreless for nearly four minutes.  Dakota State held a 40-32 halftime lead.  DSU kept their lead between four– and ten-points for the majority of the second half and held off the Vikings' comeback.  The Vikings trimmed DSU's lead to one point with less than three minutes to go.  Dakota State shut down VCSU in the final 2:03 with an 8-0 run.

Mison Coilton posted a double-double season-highs of 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Trojans.  He was 12-of-21 from the field.  Brayden Pankonen added 15 points and four rebounds.  He stole the ball three times.  Kenny Haynes scored 10 points off the bench.  Uzo Dibiamaka had eight points.  Emmanuel Akpan collected a game-high 11 rebounds.

DSU shot 47.8 percent from the field (32-of-67 FGs) and held VCSU to 39.7 percent (23-of-58 FGs).

Dakota State wins defensive battle in Dickinson
Dickinson, N.D. (Jan. 13, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) held Dickinson State to 30.3 percent second-half field goal percentage, earning, a defensive battle victory by the score of 59-53 in the North Star conference action at Scott Gymnasium. 

Dakota State kicked off the game with a 5-0 scoring run and held the Blue Hawks scoreless in the first three-and-half minutes.  DiSU went on a 16-2 scoring run after trailing 12-7 for the biggest lead of the game at 23-14.  DSU closed the first half with a 10-2 run, trailing by one point at 25-24.  Dakota State widened their lead to 38-30 in the early second half and held off the Blue Hawks late in the game.  DSU outscored DiSU 35-28 in the second half.

Brayden Pankonen scored 11 points and grabbed five rebounds for Dakota State.  He was 3-of-3 from the field, including 2-of-2 from the 3-point arc, and converted 3-of-5 free-throws.  Mison Coilton added 10 points and nine rebounds.  Emmanuel Akpan tallied nine points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.  Uzo Dibiamaka had eight points.  Japjit Gill and Josh Lewis each dished out three assists.

Dakota State shot 41.5 percent (22-of-53 field goals) overall and held Dickinson State to 32.3 percent (20-of-62 field goals).  The Trojans outrebounded the Blue Hawks 45-33.

Upcoming special events at DSU Fieldhouse
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 17, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball team will be holding special events during their three-game home stand at DSU Fieldhouse in the North Star Athletic Association action.

The Trojans host Viterbo (Wis.) in the Coaches vs. Cancer contest on Friday evening.  DSU will be unveiling new American Cancer Society (ACS) uniforms.  There will be 50/50 raffle, where the proceeds will go to the ACS.  Make sure to wear pink clothing or items to the contest to support cancer awareness. 

DSU hosts Waldorf (Iowa) on Saturday evening in the Military Appreciation night.  The Trojans will unveil their new black Military Edition uniforms.  The Trojan men's basketball team will be honoring all veterans, along with special honoree, Skip Martin.

On Friday, Jan. 26, the Dakota State University Athletics Department will be holding their annual Ag Ball contest, supporting the local agriculture economy.  The Trojans host Mayville State (N.D.).

2023-24 Dakota State Men's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Mison Coilton - 259 points (13.6 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Emmanuel Akpan - 54.9 percent (73-of-133 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Uzo Dibiamaka - 43.3 percent (13-of-30 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Brayden Pankonen - 81.0 percent (34-of-42 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Emmanuel Akpan - 158 rebounds (8.3 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Japjit Gill - 57 assists (3.0 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Brayden Pankonen - 35 steals (1.8 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Emmanuel Akpan - 12 blocks (0.6 blocks per game)

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