February 9, 2024

Photo credit by Hillsboro Banner

MAYVILLE, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) battled back and forth in a closely tight North Star Athletic Association men's basketball contest Friday evening at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.  The Trojans fell short as they were shutdown in the final 3:12 of the game, allowing the Comets to close the game with a 10-0 outburst for a 69-64 victory.

Dakota State suffered their fourth straight NSAA defeat, dropping their overall record to 15-11 and evening their NSAA conference record to 5-5.  Mayville State lifted their overall record to 18-6 and 6-3 NSAA conference record.

Both teams earned a season series split in the North Star conference, with each team winning on their own home court.

Dakota State looks to swing back in the winning column next weekend as they wrap up their regular season schedule at home.  The Trojans host Valley City State (N.D.) next Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Dickinson State (N.D.) next Sunday at 5 p.m.  Both games will be held at DSU Fieldhouse.

Mayville State (N.D.) 69, Dakota State (S.D.) 64 – FINAL

After the Comets opened the game with a 2-0 lead with John White, Jr.'s basket, the Trojans went on an 8-0 scoring tear.  Emmanuel Akpan capped the scoring run with six straight points, giving DSU an 8-2 lead with less than seventeen minutes left in the first half.

Mayville State regained their lead at 11-10 after Thomas Gieske's 3-pointer with 14:51 on the clock in the first half.

The Trojans answered with a 6-0 run, sparked by a 3-pointer from Kenny Haynes.  He added a basket with 12:58 to go in the first to give DSU a 16-11 lead.

Haynes drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Uhana Ochan) to widen their lead to 19-13 with 11:27 to go before halftime.

Mison Coilton completed a three-point play with less than 5:45 to go in the first half, ballooning their lead to 29-21 for the Trojans.

Mayville State answered with a 9-1 run to knot the game at 30-30 after a basket by Thomas Gieske with 1:49 on the clock in the first half.

Haynes and Ochan hit back-to-back baskets inside the paint to give DSU a 34-30 lead with less than a minute to go.

The Comets closed the first half with a basket by Jamison Kramer followed by a 3-pointer from White, Jr. to grab a 35-34 halftime lead.

DSU shot 51.9 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes (14-of-27 field goals) compared to MSU 51.6 percent (16-of-31 field goals).

Dakota State and Mayville State traded leads or tied the game in the first six minutes of the second half.

Tied at 44-44, Calvin Payne ignited DSU's 9-0 scoring run with a 3-pointer, followed by Josh Lewis' basket, and back-to-back layups by Coilton for the biggest lead of the game at 53-44 with 12:12 left. sparked DSU's 9-0 scoring run for the biggest lead of the game.

The Comets went on a 12-2 scoring run to regain their lead at 56-55 after Keyshaun Bolen's basket with 6:41 remaining.

Haynes drained a 3-pointer to widen Dakota State's lead to 64-59 with 3:12 left in the game.

The Comets held the Trojans scoreless in the final 3:12 of the game, fueling a 10-0 scoring run to secure the victory.  Mayville State held Dakota State to five missed shots in the closing minutes.

MSU earned their lead back at 65-64 after Juan Carlos Canahuate's basket with less than minute to go in the game. 

The Trojans missed a shot on the next possession but kept the ball by a team offensive rebound.  A steal by MSU's Darren Jones followed by a dunk gave the Comets a 67-64 lead with less than 20 seconds to go.

Dakota State was unable to convert a scoring chance on the next possession, committing a turnover and a foul.  White, Jr. hit a pair of free-throws to secure the five-point victory for the Comets.

MSU outscored DSU 34-30 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Comets shot 13-of-27 from the field (48.2 percent) compared to the Trojans 12-of-34 field goals (35.3 percent) in the second half.

Coilton led the Trojans with 18 points off the bench.  He also had eight rebounds.  Haynes added 13 points.  Akpan tallied 10 points and two blocks.  Brayden Pankonen scored nine points and dished two assists.  Ochan had seven points and six rebounds.  He had two steals. 

Lewis collected six rebounds and two assists for DSU.

Jones paced the Comets with 20 points, six rebounds, three blocks, and three steals.  Gieske added 14 points, four rebounds, and three assists.  White, Jr. scored 10 points.

Bolen scored eight points and collected five rebounds off the bench for MSU.  Canahuate had seven points and five assists.

Dakota State shot 42.6 percent overall from the field (26-of-61 field goals) compared to Mayville State 50 percent (29-of-58 field goals).  The Comets were 4-of-8 from the 3-point line, while the Trojans were 5-of-21 3-pointers.

Both teams made seven free-throws in the game and scored 42 points inside the paint.

DSU outrebounded MSU 35-31.  The Trojans outscored the Comets 15-10 in second chance points.

There was a total of 14 lead changes and four ties in the game.