December 15, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – Valley City State (N.D.) erased a 13-point second half deficit and forced overtime with Dakota State (S.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball action Sunday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Vikings outscored the Trojans 14-10 in overtime, hanging on to an 83-79 victory.

Dakota State closed out their 2024 calendar year with 7-7 overall record and 0-2 record in the North Star Athletic Association.  Valley City State improved to 9-4 overall record and 1-1 record in the league.

DSU heads in their winter break and returns to action in the New Year 2025 on Jan. 4 as they conclude their season-long six-game home stand.  The Trojans host Bellevue (Neb.) in the Norh Star Athletic Association action at DSU Fieldhouse, with the game's tip-off at 5 p.m.

Valley City State (N.D.) 83, Dakota State (S.D.) 79 – FINAL/OT

Dakota State and Valley City State battled back and forth with three ties and five lead changes in the first ten minutes of the game. 

Leading 19-17, Brayden Pankonen hit back-to-back baskets as the Trojans' lead grew to 23-17 with 9:38 to go in the first half and ignited their scoring run to 14-4.  Dakota State hit back-to-back 3-pointers from Rysley Borman and Lukas Morgan to gain their first double digit lead of the game at 33-21 with 5:06 to go before halftime.

Valley City State then went on a 10-0 scoring run, capped by a basket by Tyrel Creager, trimming DSU's lead to 33-31 with 3:03 on the clock in the first half.

Taine Mitchell scored the final four points of the first half as the Trojans held a 37-31 halftime lead.

DSU shot 14-of-28 from the field in the first twenty minutes compared to VCSU 38.7 percent (12-of-31 field goals).

Dakota State kicked off the second half with a 9-2 run, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Tyler Beckwith (assisted by Mitchell) for the biggest lead at 46-33 with 16:03 remaining.

With DSU leading 48-36, Valley City State went on a 21-4 scoring explosion to regain their lead.  VCSU scored eight straight points to grab a 57-52 lead with 6:27 left after Jayden Patcha's basket.

Patcha hit a 3-pointer as the Vikings' lead grew to 60-54 with 5:41 remaining.  The Trojans then went on an 11-4 run to overtake the lead at 65-64 with 2:10 left after a free throw from Lane Tietz.

Knotted at 67-67, the Vikings committed a foul and sent DSU's Colby Dillenbeck to the free throw line.  He hit both free throws with less than 20 seconds left in the game.

The Vikings missed a basket on the next possession and maintained their offensive rebound after the ball went out-of-bounds.  Lamar Grayson hit a game-tying basket with 0.5 seconds left as VCSU tied the game at 69-69, forcing the game to go into overtime.

Valley City State outscored Dakota State 38-32 in the second half.

Both teams went back-and-forth in overtime, going through four ties and one lead change before the Vikings pulled away.  Lukas Morgan hit a layup to tie the game at 77-77 with 1:06 remaining in overtime.

Creger followed up with a basket on the next possession to put the Vikings up 79-77 with less than 55 seconds to go.  The Trojans could not convert their scoring chance on the next possession as Caden Grinde hit a pair of free-throws to extend VCSU's lead to 81-77 with less than 20 seconds to go.

Morgan hit a pair of free throws as the Trojans trailed 81-79 with 10 seconds to go and could not complete their comeback.  Shaheed Muhammad hit a pair of free throws to secure the victory for the Vikings.

VCSU outscored DSU 14-10 in overtime.

Dillenbeck led the Trojans with 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds.  He was 5-of-6 from the field and 8-of-9 at the free throw line.  Tietz added 17 points and three steals.  Morgan tallied 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists.  Beckwith had eight points and seven rebounds.

Mitchell registered eight points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals for Dakota State.  Borman had five points.  Aiden Jensen collected four rebounds and a block shot. 

Muhammad had 18 points, five assists, and four rebounds for the Vikings.  Creger posted a double-double of 17 points and dished out 11 assists.  He had seven rebounds.  Patcha scored 17 points off the bench.  Grinde had 13 points.  Grayson scored nine points.

Dakota State shot 45.2 percent overall from the field (28-of-62 field goals) compared to Valley City State 40 percent (28-of-70 field goals).  The Vikings were 9-of-21 from the 3-point arc, while the Trojans were 5-of-24 3-pointers.

Both teams made 18 free throws in the game.

The Trojans outrebounded the Vikings 48-31.  DSU outscored VCSU 12-2 in second chance points and 44-20 inside the paint.  Valley City State outscored Dakota State 21-13 in points off turnovers.