January 3, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Jan. 3, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball team (10-6 overall record, 0-0 North Star Athletic Association record) returns to action Saturday afternoon for the first time since Dec. 16.  The Trojans kick off their 12-game North Star Athletic Association slate on the road against their traveling partner, Bellevue (Neb.) (5-11 overall record, 0-0 NSAA conference record).  

Tip-off for the North Star Athletic Association season opener is set for 3 p.m.  The game is being played at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center (1000 Galvin Road South) on the campus of Bellevue in Bellevue, Neb.

Dakota State fell short in a pair of games against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference prior to their Christmas break.  The Trojans' furious late second-half comeback fell short to Midland (Neb.) on Dec. 13 by the score of 90-84.  DSU returned to action on Dec. 16 at home, falling short to (RV) Hastings (Neb.) by the score of 72-65.  It was the first home setback for the Trojans this season. 

Bellevue dropped a pair of games in their own home tournament, Fairfield Inn Bruin Classic, to a pair of Great Plains Athletic Conference.  The Bruins fell to Mount Marty (S.D.) by the score of 77-72 on Dec. 29, followed by a 69-58 setback to Doane (Neb.) on Dec. 30.

Dakota State won the previous meeting with Bellevue on Feb. 16, 2023, winning by the score of 69-59 in retired head coach Gary Garner's final home contest at DSU Fieldhouse.

Up Next:  Dakota State continues their North Star action on the road next weekend, visiting Valley City State (N.D.) on Jan. 12 and Dickinson State (N.D.) on Jan. 13.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) and Bellevue (Neb.) split their two North Star Athletic Association meetings last season, with both teams winning on their own home court.  DSU won the recent meeting on Feb. 16, 2023, by the score of 69-59 at DSU Fieldhouse.  BU won the last meeting held at Bellevue on Dec. 3, 2022, by the score of 85-65.
+ The Trojans are seeking for the first win on Bellevue's home court since Dec. 11, 1999.  The Trojans won by the score of 85-72.  Bellevue had won the last 12 home games against Dakota State since Nov. 26, 2011.
+ The all-time series between Dakota State and Bellevue began in 1999-00 season, where the Trojans swept home-and-away contests with the Bruins.  DSU won the first ever meeting by the score of 95-70 in Madison on Nov. 16, 1999, and held on to sweep season series with an 85-72 victory at Bellevue on Dec. 11, 1999.
+ Saturday's contest will be the sixth straight year that the Trojans open their North Star Athletic Association schedule against their traveling partner Bellevue.  The Bruins are 4-1 record in their previous five conference season openers, with the lone DSU conference season opening victory on Dec. 5, 2020, by the score of 63-60 at DSU Fieldhouse.
+ It will be 21 days on Saturday when Dakota State play their last game.  The Trojans played on Dec. 16, 2023, despite a 72-67 home setback to (RV) Hastings (Neb.) at DSU Fieldhouse.
+ Dakota State opens their North Star schedule with a three-game road slate.  After Saturday's game, DSU heads to Valley City State (N.D.) and Dickinson State (N.D.) next weekend before their next three-game home stand, starting on Jan. 19.
 
Noteworthy...
TROJANS WRAP UP NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE:  Dakota State (S.D.) wrapped up their non-conference schedule with a 10-6 record, despite going 0-2 record in the previous two games against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  The Trojans recorded nine-game winning streak during the month of November, typing the school record in consecutive wins with the 2015-16 squad.  DSU averaged 76.3 points, 40.3 rebounds, and 14.1 assists per game during the non-conference schedule.

NORTH STAR CONFERENCE SEASON OVERVIEW:   Dakota State and Bellevue (Neb.) will be the only teams that will be opening the North Star Athletic Association season on Saturday, while the remaining teams will begin their conference play next week.  Each NSAA conference member will be playing 12 league games, with six  games at home and six games on the road.  The Trojans play their first three games on the road, followed by three-game home stand in their first half portion of the NSAA schedule. 

FOR THE RECORDS:  Dakota State is 4-1 record at home this season, while holding a 3-4 record on the road and 3-1 record on neutral sites.  Bellevue is 5-4 record at home, and winless in four road contests and three neutral sites during this season.  The Bruins are 13-3 record in the series meeting with the Trojans since the NSAA formed.  Both teams were in the NSAA championship game in 2021, won by BU 64-57.
 
2023-24 DSU DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM SEASON UPDATES:  The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball developmental team wrapped up their 2023 portion of the schedule with a 79-72 home setback to in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) on Nov. 30.  DSU, at 3-3 overall record, resumes to action on Jan. 15, 2024, as they conclude their three-game home stand versus Dordt (Iowa).  DSU visits MMU on Jan. 16.

Midland (Neb.) holds off DSU's late comeback
Fremont, Neb. (Dec. 13, 2023)—Midland (Neb.) used a late first half scoring run to balloon their lead to 12 points and held off Dakota State's (S.D.) late second half comeback for a 90-84 high scoring affair at Wikert Event Cetner.  The Trojans trailed by 11 points with a minute to go in the game and trimmed the Warriors' lead to four points, but fell short.

Midland shot a sizzling 62.1 percent (18-of-29 field goals) in the first twenty minutes of the game, earning a 48-36 halftime lead.  DSU, who shot 40 percent in the first half (14-of-35 field goals), opened the second half with a 14-1 outburst to regain their lead at 50-49 with 15:41 to go.  After trading leads for the next five minutes, Midland used a late run as their lead grew to 86-75.  DSU could get no closer than four points at 88-84 with 21 seconds remaining in the game.

Five DSU players hit double digit in scoring, led by Brayden Pankonen and Kenny Haynes with 16 points each.  Mison Coilton added 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists.  Uzo Dibiamaka had 12 points and seven rebounds.  Emmanual Akpan scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds.  Japjit Gill tallied nine points, four rebounds, and four assists.

MU shot 58.2 percent from the field (32-of-55) compared to DSU 43.3 percent (29-of-67).

(RV) Hastings (Neb.) hands Trojans first home loss
Madison, S.D. (Dec. 16, 2023)—Dakota State (S.D.) and Hastings (Neb.) battled in a closely-tight men's basketball non-conference contest at DSU Fieldhouse, recording 11 ties, nine lead changes, and a lead no greater than eight points by both teams.  After DSU took an eight-point halftime lead, the Broncos sparked an early second-half surge to pull away past the Trojans by the score of 72-65. 

Knotted at 27-27, DSU closed the first half with a 10-2 scoring run in the final 3:52 to earn a 37-29 halftime lead.  HC fueled a 12-2 scoring run to start the second half, regaining their lead to 41-39 with 16:37 left.  Both teams battled back and forth for more than 13 minutes, featuring seven ties and three lead changes.  The Broncos closed the game with a 6-2 run to secure the victory.

Mison Coilton led the Trojans' balanced scoring attack with 15 points.  He had four rebounds and two assists.  Emmanual Akpan added 12 points and four rebounds.  Uzo Dibiamaka and Josh Lewis each added nine points.  Brayden Pankonen had six points and three assists.  Calvin Payne scored six points.

The statistical comparisons between the two teams were evenly matched.  DSU shot 44.6 percent compared to HC 43.4 percent.  HC made 13 more free-throws than DSU (19 free throws to six free-throws).

Trojans in the North Star conference ranks
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 3, 2024)—According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, Dakota State ranks fourth in the North Star Athletic Association in scoring with 78.9 points per game.  The Trojans are third in the league's scoring defense, allowing 72.3 points per game.

The Trojans leads the North Star in 3-point field goals percentage defense, limiting their opponents to 27.8 percent (104-of-374 3-point field goals).  DSU is second in the conference in both defensive and offensive rebounds per game, 28.0 defensive rebounds per game and 10.9 offensive rebounds per game.

Emmanual Akpan ranks third in the NSAA conference with 8.4 rebounds per game for the Trojans.  He is also fifth in the conference in field goal percentage, hitting 55.8 percent on his 63-of-113 field goals. 

Brayden Pankonen leads the conference in total steals with 31 steals for Dakota State.  Josh Lewis is also third in the league with 28 steals.  Uzo Dibiamaka ranks third in the North Star with 11 total blocks, while Akpan and Uhana Ochan are tied for fourth most blocks in the league with nine blocks.

2023-24 Dakota State Men's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Mison Coilton - 203 points (12.7 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Emmanuel Akpan - 55.8 percent (63-of-113 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Uzo Dibiamaka - 42.3 percent (11-of-26 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Uhana Ochan - 84.6 percent (11-of-13 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Emmanuel Akpan - 134 rebounds (8.4 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Japjit Gill - 52 assists (3.3 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Brayden Pankonen - 31 steals (1.9 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Uzo Dibiamaka - 11 blocks (1.2 blocks per game)

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