January 31, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Jan. 31, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball team (15-7 overall record, 5-1 North Star Athletic Association record) carries their North Star Athletic Association's five-game winning streak into the second half of the conference schedule this weekend.  The Trojans play a pair of road contests.

The league leader Dakota State visits Viterbo (Wis.) (8-13 overall record, 2-4 NSAA conference record) on Friday evening with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.  The game is being played at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium (914 Viterbo Court) in La Crosse, Wis. 

The Trojans head to Hanson Fieldhouse on Saturday evening, facing Waldorf (Iowa) (7-13 overall record, 2-4 NSAA conference record) in another North Star contest.  Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. at Hanson Fieldhouse (206 John K Hanson) in Forest City, Iowa.

Dakota State is coming off from their 84-79 victory over (RV) Mayville State (N.D.) to complete their NSAA's three-game home stand undefeated on Jan. 26. 

Viterbo earned their first NSAA victories of the season at home, rallying back to defeat Valley City State (N.D.) 87-86 on Jan. 26 and Dickinson State (N.D.) 64-62 on Jan. 27.  Waldorf split their two home contests last weekend, defeating the Blue Hawks 89-79 on Jan. 26 and falling to Valley City State 76-74 on Jan. 27.

This weekend will be the final ever North Star contests for Dakota State with Viterbo and Waldorf.

Up Next:  Dakota State returns home next Wednesday as they host traveling partner Bellevue (Neb.) at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans visit Mayville State (N.D.) next Friday in Mayville, N.D.  Both games start at 7:30 p.m.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) extended their North Star Athletic Association's winning streak to five games after their victory versus Mayville State (N.D.).  It was the first time since the 2015-16 season where the Trojans had won at least five straight league contests (DSU won six straight NSAA contests in 2015-16).
+ The Trojans had secured a winning record season for the first time since 2015-16 season (19-14 overall record).  DSU also matched its best NSAA conference start at 5-1 record since the 2014-15 season.
+ Dakota State defeated Viterbo (Wis.) in the first NSAA meeting this season on Jan. 19 at DSU Fieldhouse by the score of 94-71, earning their second straight victory in the series meeting.
+ The last time DSU defeated VU in La Crosse, Wis., was on Jan. 28, 2022 by the score of 70-65.
+ The Trojans used a big first-half to defeat Waldorf (Iowa) 79-66 in the first conference meeting this season on Jan. 20. 
+ DSU is seeking for their first road win at Waldorf since Jan. 29, 2022, where the Trojans edged the Warriors 72-71.
+ Dakota State matched its last year's total home victories at DSU Fieldhouse with seven home wins after their victory over (RV) Mayville State (N.D.) on Jan. 26.  DSU also had seven home victories during the 2021-22 season.
+ Dakota State is 7-1 record at home (.875 winning percentage) this season, the best home court winning percentage since 2012-13 season where DSU went 10-2 record (.833 winning percentage) at DSU Fieldhouse. 
+The Trojans had won two straight NSAA conference road games (at Valley City State and at Dickinson State on Jan. 12-13)
 
Noteworthy...
FIRST YEAR HEAD COACHES AT DSU:  Head coach Darren Tighe collected 15 wins prior to this weekend's North Star Athletic Association road contests.  He is seeking to match the most victories by the first year Trojan men's basketball head coach since Ed Harter with 17 wins in his first season as head coach (former General Beadle State in 1963-64).  Tighe already posted its first winning record season in his first year at Dakota State (last time was in 1963-64 when GBSC went 17-6 record).

TROJANS IN THE NSAA CONFERENCE TEAM RANKS:   According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, Dakota State ranks second in the league in scoring offense with 77.5 points per game in conference games.  DSU leads the conference in 3-point field goal percentage with 40.3 percent (50-of-124 3-pointers) during six league games.  DSU is second in the NSAA in scoring defense with 68.3 points per game. 

DSU IN THE NSAA CONFERENCE LEADERS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, Mison Coilton ties for third best scoring average during the North Star Athletic Association season with 17.2 points per game.  Uzo Dibiamaka ranks sixth in the North Star in field goal percentage of 52.5 percent (21-of-40 field goals), while Coilton is ninth with 51.2 percent (42-of-82 field goals), and Emmanuel Akpan (19-of-38 field goals) and Josh Lewis (18-of-36 field goals) tied for 10th with 50 percent from the field goal.
 
2023-24 DSU DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM SEASON UPDATES:  The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball developmental team closed their home schedule with an 84-72 setback to Northwestern (Iowa) at DSU Fieldhouse on Jan. 29.  The Trojans, who hold an overall record of 5-5, concludes their 2023-24 schedule with a contest at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Monday in Mitchell.

Trojans become NSAA leader after defeating (RV) MSU
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 26, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) went through 12 ties and 17 lead changes in a closely tight North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans pulled away late and held off the Comets by the score of 84-79 to earn a sole possession for first place in the NSAA standings.

The Comets posted the biggest lead of the game at 26-17 with 10:28 left before halftime.  The Trojans would mount a comeback with a 10-2 run to knot the game at 30-30.  Mayville State held a slim 38-37 halftime lead.  Both teams went back and forth with eight ties and 11 lead coaches in the second half.  Tied at 68-68, DSU sparked a 10-4 scoring run and never trailed in the game for a five-point victory.

Kenny Haynes led the Trojans with 22 points off the bench on his 7-of-11 field goals, including 5-of-8 from the 3-point line.  He converted all three free-throw attempts.  Mison Coilton added 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds.  Emmanuel Akpan had 10 points and six rebounds.  Josh Lewis had nine points and dished out five assists (tied season-high).  Japjit Gill scored eight points.  Uzo Dibiamaka and Brayden Pankonen each had seven points. 

DSU hit 11 3-pointers in 24 tries in the game, while the Comets were just 3-of-11 from the 3-point line.

A look at NSAA conference first half recap
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 31, 2024)—The North Star Athletic Association wrapped up their first half portion of the basketball schedule last weekend.  Dakota State (S.D.) holds a sole possession for first place in the conference standings with a 5-1 record after their 84-79 home victory over (RV) Mayville State (N.D.) at DSU Fieldhouse.  

Bellevue (Neb.) is second in the NSAA conference standings with 4-2 record.  Dickinson State (N.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) both are 3-3 record in the league.  Valley City State (N.D.), Waldorf (Iowa), and Viterbo (Wis.) are tied for fifth in the conference standings with 2-4 record each.

After six North Star conference contests, Dakota State ranks second in the league in scoring with 77.5 points per game.  The Trojans lead the conference in 3-point field goal percentage, hitting 50 3-pointers in 124 tries.  DSU is also second in the league in field goal percentage of 45.9 percent (168-of-366 field goals).  Dakota State allowed its opponents to 68.3 points per game, which is second best in the NSAA.

The second half of the North Star Athletic Association schedule will be a flip-flop of away-and-home games from the first half of the conference schedule.

Dakota State (S.D.) records watch
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 31, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) continues their successful campaign under first-year head coach Darren Tighe as the Trojans recently matched its best North Star Athletic Association start at 5-1 after their victory over Mayville State (N.D.) on Jan. 26.  The last time the Trojans had a 5-1 start in the North Star conference play was during the 2014-15 season.

Dakota State accumulated 15 victories this season, which is the most since the 2016-17 season where the Trojans went 16-16 overall record.  The Trojans are two victories away for tying for 10th most victories in school history with the 2014-15, 1989-89, 1965-66, and 1963-64 squads.  The 2011-12 squad holds the sixth most wins in a single season with 18 wins.

Dakota State tied the school record for most consecutive wins with nine earlier this season with the 2015-16 squad.  The Trojans are currently on the five-game winning streak, which tied for eighth most consecutive wins with the 2013-14, 2012-13, 2011-12, and 2010-11 DSU men's basketball teams.

2023-24 Dakota State Men's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Mison Coilton - 306 points (13.9 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Emmanuel Akpan - 54.3 percent (82-of-151 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Uzo Dibiamaka - 42.9 percent (18-of-42 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Brayden Pankonen - 81.6 percent (40-of-49 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Emmanuel Akpan - 176 rebounds (8.0 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Japjit Gill - 68 assists (3.1 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Brayden Pankonen - 36 steals (1.6 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Emmanuel Akpan - 16 blocks (0.7 blocks per game)

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