February 3, 2024

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Waldorf (Iowa) held Dakota State (S.D.) to 39.1 percent field goal shooting Saturday evening, earning a 77-64 North Star Athletic Association men's basketball victory at Hanson Fieldhouse.  It was the final ever NSAA regular season contest between DSU and WU.

Dakota State suffered their second straight NSAA setback, falling to 15-9 overall record.  The Trojans are in a three-way tie for first place in the conference standings after Saturday's contests with Bellevue (Neb.) and Mayville State (N.D.).  Waldorf improved to 9-13 overall record and 4-4 NSAA conference record.

The Trojans return home Wednesday evening as they host Bellevue in the NSAA second meeting of the season.  Tip-off from the DSU Fieldhouse is set for 7:30 p.m.

Waldorf (Iowa) 77, Dakota State (S.D.) 64 – FINAL

Uzo Dibiamaka opened the game with a layup for a 2-0 lead (assisted by Japjit Gill) for Dakota State.  Both teams traded leads in the opening minutes in the first four-and-half minutes.

With DSU leading 12-11, the Warriors sparked a 10-2 scoring run to grab a 21-14 lead after a pair of free-throws from Khalil Grayson with 10:51 remaining in the first half.

Dakota State answered with a 7-0 scoring outburst, capped by a layup by Emmanuel Akpan (assisted by Josh Lewis) to tie the game at 21-21 with 7:30 in the first half.

The Warriors then scored nine consecutive points, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Grayson for 30-21 lead and forced the Trojans to call a timeout with 4:04 to go in the first.

WU maintained their lead between seven- and ten-points until DSU trimmed their deficit by five points.  Dibiamka hit a basket as the Trojans trailed 34-29 by halftime.

Dakota State was 11-of-34 from the field (32.6 percent) in the first twenty minutes), while Waldorf was 13-of-31 field goals (41.9 percent).

After Khyle Washington's 3-pointer to put WU up 37-29 to start the second half, the Trojans scored the next four points to trim their deficit to 37-33 with 18:37 left after a layup by Mison Coilton.

Waldorf scored the next six points to regain their double-digit lead at 43-33 after a 3-pointer by Noah Miller with 17:45 remaining. 

The Trojans answered with a 7-0 scoring of their own, fueled by a 3-pointer from Emmanuel Akpan followed by a pair of free-throws by Coilton and basket by Lewis (DSU trailed 43-40 with 16:38 left).

Dakota State got within two points when Keny Haynes made a layup with 11:05 to go, trailing 53-51.  Dibiamaka hit a free-throw with 10 minutes to go as the Trojans trailed by one point at 55-54.

Both teams struggled to score in the next two-plus minutes.  Waldorf extended their lead to 61-55 after a basket from Justin Wiggins, while DSU trailed 61-57 on the next possession after a layup by Coilton with 6:02 remaining.

Waldorf used a 6-0 scoring run to balloon their lead to 67-57 with 4:30 left after a 3-point play by Washington.

Dakota State was held to four points in the final 4:23 of the game, securing the victory for the Warriors.  WU outscored DSU 43-35 in the second half.

Waldorf shot 16-of-31 field goals in the final twenty minutes (51.6 percent), including 7-of-13 from the 3-point line.  Dakota State was 14-of-30 from the field in the second half (46.7 percent) and 3-of-10 3-pointers.

Gill led the Trojans with 15 points on his 6-of-9 field goals and made both free-throws.  Coilton added 12 points (5-of-10 field goals and 2-of-2 free-throws).  He stole the ball four times.  Dibiamaka tallied 10 points and three rebounds. 

Akpan, Lewis, and Uhana Ochan each scored seven points for Dakota State.  Taylor Edwards scored four points and grabbed three rebounds.  Calvin Payne had three rebounds. 

Miller led the Warriors with 22 points.  He was 6-of-9 from the field, 5-of-8 from the 3-point line, and 5-of-6 free-throws.  Grayson added 20 points off the bench on his 8-of-16 field goals and 2-of-2 free-throws.  He had six rebounds.  Washington scored 15 points and collected seven rebounds.  He dished out five assists.

Ugo Ejoofor had eight points and collected a game-high 13 rebounds for Waldorf.  Kaelon Harkema, Gabriel Sorensen, and Justin Wiggins each had four points.

Dakota State shot 39.1 percent overall from the field (25-of-64 field goals) and 3-of-17 3-pointers.  Waldorf was 46.8 percent (29-of-62 field goals) and 9-of-20 from the 3-point line.

Both went to the free-throw line 13 times, with DSU making one more free-throw than WU (11-10).

Waldorf outrebounded Dakota State 40-21.  The Warriors outscored the Trojans 10-0 in second chance points.

DSU outscored WU 19-7 in points off turnovers and 38-32 inside the paint.