January 16, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Jan. 16, 2025)—The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball team (7-10 overall record, 0-5 North Star Athletic Association record) is seeking to snap their losing skid as they begin their second round robin of North Star Athletic Association action.

Dakota State looks to end their six-game losing streak as they visit their traveling partner Bellevue (Neb.) (10-8 overall record and 2-3 NSAA conference record).  The game is set for 7:30 p.m. at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center (1000 Galvin Road) in Bellevue, Neb.

The Trojans are coming off from their first North Star Athletic Association road setbacks last weekend in North Dakota.  DSU was edged by the league's leader Dickinson State (N.D.) 72-69 on Jan. 10, followed by a 97-73 defeat to the University of Jamestown (N.D.) on Jan. 11.

Bellevue dropped a pair of contests in North Dakota, falling to Jamestown 78-62 on Jan. 10 and to Dickinson State 85-75 on Jan. 11 to close out their first round robin of North Star Athletic Association action.

The Bruins defeated the Trojans in their first North Star Athletic Association meeting by the score of 64-47 at DSU Fieldhouse on Jan. 4.  Both teams will be facing for the third time next month, playing their third meeting as they return to Bellevue on Friday, Feb. 7.

Up Next:  Dakota State returns home next weekend for a pair of North Star Athletic Association contests.  The Trojans welcome Jamestown in the Coaches versus Cancer game on Friday, Jan. 24.  DSU also hosts Dickinson State (N.D.) on Saturday, Jan. 25, as part of the Dakota State Alumni weekend.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) is seeking for their first road win in Bellevue, Neb., since Dec. 11, 1999.  The Bruins had won the last four meetings with the Trojans, with the last DSU's win over BU on Feb. 16, 2023, at DSU Fieldhouse (69-59).
+ The Trojans are seeking for their first road victory this season (0-4 road record).  The last time DSU earned a road victory was on Jan. 13, 2024, when they defeated Dickinson State (N.D.) 59-53 at Scott Gymnasium.
+ Dakota State and Bellevue met in the North Star Athletic Association's semifinal round of the postseason tournament last season.  The Bruins held off the Trojans by the score of 70-66 on Feb. 25, 2023.
+ The Trojans have four home contests and five road contests remaining on their 2024-25 regular-season schedule, all contests in the North Star Athletic Association.
+ Each North Star member is playing their second round robin of conference action this weekend.  The third round of NSAA conference action will begin on Feb. 7, where Dakota State and Bellevue return to Gordon Lozier Athletic Center for their third meeting of the season.
+ The last time both Dakota State and Bellevue played an overtime game in the series meeting was on Feb. 25, 2017, in the NSAA postseason tournament's semifinal round in Bellevue, Neb.  The Bruins held on to a 69-62 overtime victory.
+ It was back-to-back series meeting contests that went into overtime with DSU and BU.  The Trojans defeated the Bruins 84-77 in overtime eight days earlier on Feb. 17, 2017 in the regular-season finale at DSU Fieldhouse.
 
Noteworthy...
DAKOTA STATE-BELLEVUE SERIES:  The all-time series between Dakota State (S.D.) and Bellevue (Neb.) began on Nov. 16, 1999, where the Trojans won the first meeting 95-70 at DSU Fieldhouse.  DSU completed the season series sweep over BU on Dec. 11, 1999, in Bellevue, Neb., the last time when the Trojans defeated the Bruins on the road.  Bellevue had won the last four meetings with Dakota State, with the last DSU's victory coming on Feb. 16, 2023, at DSU Fieldhouse. 

TROJANS IN THE NSAA CONFERENCE RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Thursday, Dakota State is tied for third overall in scoring offense with 77.2 points per game with Jamestown (N.D.).  The Trojans lead the league with 14.8 assists per game this season.  The Trojans lead the league in field goal percentage defense, limiting the opponents to 42.8 percent (452-of-1055 field goals).

SAVE THE DATES:  Dakota State will hold a cancer awareness night when they return home on Jan. 24 versus Jamestown (N.D.).  The alumni weekend will also be held on the weekend of Jan. 24-25 (host Dickinson State, N.D., on Jan. 25).  After three straight games, the Trojans return home on Feb. 14 for the annual Ag Ball contest versus Mayville State (N.D.).  DSU concludes their regular-season home schedule on Feb. 15 as they host Valley City State (N.D.) as they honor their seniors prior to their warm-ups.
 
2024-25 DSU MEN'S BASKETBALL DEVELOPMENTAL TEAM UPDATES:  The 2024-25 Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball developmental team lifted their overall record to 4-2 as they returned to action on Jan. 13 at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans edged out Mount Marty (S.D.) 85-81.  Dakota State continues their action on Monday at Northwestern (Iowa) and return home on Thursday, Jan. 23 versus MMU.

Trojans fall short in closing seconds in Dickinson
Dickinson, N.D. (Jan. 10, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) fell short in the closing seconds to North Star Athletic Association's leader Dickinson State (N.D.) 72-69 at Scott Gymnasium.  After taking a four-point halftime lead, the Trojans were outscored by the Blue Hawks 37-30 in the final twenty minutes of the game. 

DSU erupted for 15 straight points to start the game, earning a 15-0 lead in the first four minutes of the game.

Dakota State maintained their lead in the early second half, leading as many as six points.  Dickinson State went on an 8-0 run in the middle of the second half to overtake a 60-53 lead.  The Trojans rallied back in the closing seconds, but fell short with a potential game-tying 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds to go in the game. 

Brayden Pankonen led the Trojans with 20 points on his 7-of-12 field goals, 3-of-6 3-pointers, and made all three free throws.  Lane Tietz added 11 points and two assists.  Colby Dillenbeck had 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds.  Taine Mitchell collected 10 rebounds.  Rysley Borman had five points.

Dakota State and Dickinson State were closely even in stats, with both teams making 26 field goals and nine free-throws in the game.  The Blue Hawks made 11 3-pointers compared to the Trojans nine 3-pointers.  Both teams registered seven steals in the game.

UJ's second-half surge propels to victory over DSU
Jamestown, N.D. (Jan. 11, 2025)—Jamestown (N.D.) shot a blazing 63.9 percent (23-of-36 field goals) in the second half to pull away past Dakota State (S.D.) 94-73 in the North Star Athletic Association action at Harold Newman Arena.

The Trojans shot a sizzling 60 percent from the field (15-of-25 field goals), including 6-of-12 from the 3-point line, despite trailing by just one point at 39-38.  DSU and UJ traded leads and tied once in the first four minutes of the second half before the Jimmies made a scoring run.  Leading 56-52, Jamestown went on a 24-6 scoring run to balloon their lead to 80-58 and never trailed.

Tyler Beckwith scored a season-high 16 point son his 6-of-12 field goals for DSU.  Colby Dillenbeck added 11 points (5-of-6 field goals).  Brayden Pankonen tallied nine points and three rebounds.  Taine Mitchell had eight points and four rebounds.  Lukas Morgan recorded seven points.  Aiden Jensen and Nolan Segner each had five points.  Jensen had two blocks. 

UJ shot 50.7 percent overall from the field (37-of-73 field goals) compared to DSU 49.1 percent (28-of-57 field goals).  Dakota State outrebounded Jamestown 35-31.

DSU individuals in the NSAA conference
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 16, 2025)—According to the NAIA-PrestoStats website as of Thursday, Dakota State's (S.D.) Colby Dillenbeck ranks second in the North Star Athletic Association in field goal percentage overall this season.  He records 62.0 percent from the field (80-of-129 field goals) prior to Friday's game.

Dillenbeck is also 12th in the North Star conference with 11.4 points per game for the Trojans.  Lane Tietz ranks 14th with 11.1 points per game, while Brayden Pankonen is 18th in the league with 10.3 points per game.

Taine Mitchell ranks second in the North Star conference with 3.2 assists per game for DSU.  He also ranks sixth in the conference with 5.7 rebounds per game, while Dillenbeck is eighth with 4.6 rebounds per game for the Trojans. 

Tietz and Pankonen each rank 13th in the league with 1.2 steals per game for the Trojans.  Aiden Jensen averages 0.4 blocks per game, which ties him 13th best blocks average in the NSAA conference.

2024-25 Dakota State Men's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Colby Dillenbeck - 193 points (11.4 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Colby Dillenbeck - 62.0 percent (80-of-129 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Brayden Pankonen - 40.2 percent (39-of-97 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Brayden Pankonen - 82.8 percent (24-of-29 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Taine Mitchell - 97 rebounds (5.7 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Taine Mitchell - 55 assists (3.2 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Lane Tietz- 21 steals (1.2 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Aiden Jensen - 7 blocks (0.4 blocks per game)