January 26, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) went through a closely tight North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest Friday evening at DSU Fieldhouse with 12 ties and 17 lead changes.  The Trojans pulled away late and held off the Comets by the score of 84-79 to become the sole possession for first place in the North Star conference.

Dakota State extended their winning streak to five games in the North Star conference, the first time since the 2015-16 where the Trojans had won at least five straight league contests (six straight conference wins).  In addition, DSU also secured a winning record season for the first time since the 2015-16 season (19-14 overall record). 

Dakota State raised their overall record to 15-7 (most overall victories since the 2016-17 season with 16 victories).  DSU also lifted their league record to 5-1, matching the best North Star conference start since 2014-15 season.

Mayville State, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, dropped their second straight game.  The Comets fell to 15-5 overall record and 3-2 record in the North Star.

The Trojans earned their first home win over the Comets at DSU Fieldhouse since Jan. 14, 2022.

Mayville State closes their first half portion of the league schedule Saturday evening, visiting Bellevue (Neb.).

Dakota State kicks off their second half of the North Star conference schedule on the road next weekend, traveling to Viterbo (Wis.) next Friday and Waldorf (Iowa) next Saturday.

Dakota State (S.D.) 84, (RV) Mayville State (N.D.) 79 – FINAL

After trading or tying the game in the opening minutes of the game, Mayville State opened a 12-6 lead after Darren Jones' basket with fourteen minutes, twenty-five seconds on the clock.

Kenny Haynes drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Josh Lewis) as DSU trailed 14-11 with 13:35 to go in the first half. 

After Mison Coilton's 3-pointer as the Trojans trailed 21-17, the Comets went on a quick 5-0 scoring run capped by a 3-pointer from Bj Woods for the biggest lead of the game at 26-17 with 10:28 to go before halftime.

Behind 28-20, Dakota State mounted a comeback with a 10-2 run to knot the game at 30-30 after a pair of free-throws from Josh Lewis with 4:22 left in the first half.

Keyshaun Bolen hit a basket inside the paint as the Comets grabbed a 38-37 halftime lead.  MSU shot 51.5 percent from the field (17-of-33 field goals) compared to DSU 35.7 percent (10-of-28 field goals).

Mayville State extended their lead to 42-37 after opening the second half with a 4-0 run.  Thomas Gieske opened with a layup followed by Juan Carlos Canahuate's basket for a five-point lead with 19:12 remaining.

Trailing 44-39, the Trojans went on a 5-0 run to record the fifth tie of the game after a 3-point play by Emmanuel Akpan with 17:08 left.

Both teams battled back and forth with eight ties and 11 lead changes in the next 11-plus minutes. 

Tied at 68-68, Dakota State sparked a 10-4 scoring run to open a six-point lead after making four consecutive baskets.  Lewis opened the scoring run with a layup, followed by a 3-pointer from Coilton.  Akpan highlighted the scoring run with back-to-back baskets to give DSU a 78-72 lead with less than four minutes to go in the game.

Mayville State answered with a 4-0 run to trim DSU's lead to 78-76 after John White, Jr.'s fast-break layup with 2:41 left.

After no scorer for more than a minute, Coilton hit a pair of free-throws to balloon DSU's lead to 80-76 with 50 seconds to go. 

MSU could get no closer than three points on two different occasions, at 80-77 after Jones' free-throw with less than 30 seconds to go and 82-79 after a pair of free-throws from Gieske with less than ten seconds to go.

Brayden Pankonen hit a pair of free-throws to secure the victory for Dakota State at 84-79.

DSU outscored MSU 47-41 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Trojans shot 55.6 percent from the field (15-of-27 field goals), while the Comets shot 55.2 percent (16-of-29 field goals).

Haynes led the Trojans with 22 points off the bench.  He was 7-of-11 from the field, including 5-of-8 from the 3-point line, and converted all three free-throw attempts.  Coilton added 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds.  Akpan had 10 points and six rebounds.

Lewis scored nine points and dished out five assists (tied season-high) off the bench for Dakota State.  Japjit Gill had eight points, three assists, and two steals.  Uzo Dibiamaka had seven points and four rebounds.  Pankonen tallied seven points. 

Jones paced the Comets with a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds.  He was 9-of-14 from the field.  Jamison Kramer added 20 points and seven rebounds.  He registered four blocks.  Gieske scored 14 points, earned four rebounds, and dished out three assists.

Canahuate tallied eight points and seven assists for MSU.  Bolen added six points and three rebounds.

Dakota State shot 25-of-55 from the field (45.5 percent) compared to Mayville State 33-of-62 field goals (53.2 percent).  The Trojans drained 11 3-pointers in 24 tries (45.8 percent), while the Comets were 3-of-11 3-pointers (27.3 percent). 

DSU hit 23-of-28 from the free-throw line (82.1 percent).  MSU was 10-of-18 from the free-throw line (55.6 percent).

The Trojans outrebounded the Comets 38-31. 

Dakota State outscored Mayville State 38-11 in bench points.