December 11, 2025
This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Dec. 11, 2025)—The Dakota State University Trojan men's basketball team (9-1 overall record, 4-1 Frontier Conference record) travels to the state of Montana for a pair of Frontier Conference contests this weekend. The Trojans are playing their second meeting with each team, where they had swept both teams in the first meeting three weeks ago at DSU Fieldhouse. DSU is carrying their five-game winning streak this weekend.
Dakota State begins their six-game Frontier Conference road stretch Friday evening, visiting Montana State University-Northern (6-3 overall record, 3-2 Frontier Conference record). The game takes place at Armory Gymnasium (300 13
th Street W) in Havre, Mont.
DSU then heads to McLaughlin Center (1301 20
th Street South) in Great Falls, Mont., to take on Providence (Mont.) (1-10 overall record, 1-4 Frontier Conference) on Saturday evening.
Both games are set to tip off at 8 p.m. (Central Time)/7 p.m. (Mountain Time).
Up Next: Dakota State steps aside their Frontier Conference play as they close out their 2025 calendar year with a pair of exhibition games against NCAA Division I and Summit League members. The Trojans travel to Vermillion, S.D., for a contest against South Dakota at 7 p.m. on Dec. 17 and Grand Forks, N.D., on Dec. 28 against North Dakota at 1 p.m.
Dakota State concludes five-game home stand undefeated, improves to 7-0 record at home
Dakota State concluded their five-game home stand at DSU Fieldhouse undefeated, extending their undefeated home court record to 7-0 this season. The Trojans returned to action after Thanksgiving break with a 3-0 record last week, including a victory over rival Dakota Wesleyan in the Battle of the Blues traveling cup.
DSU began their five-game home stand with a weekend sweep over Montana schools in the Frontier Conference home opener on Nov. 21 over Providence (Mont.) and on Nov. 22 over MSU-Norther. The Trojans defeated the Tigers 64-53 on Dec. 2, followed by 93-67 win over Mayville State (N.D.) on Dec. 5 and 77-62 victory over Valley City State (N.D.) 77-62 on Dec. 6.
Dakota State averaged 78.4 points per game during their five-game home stand at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans shot 50 percent from the field (139-of-278 field goals), 44-of-99 from the 3-point line (44.4 percent), and 70-of-96 from the free-throw line (72.9 percent).
DSU held their opponents to 58.0 points per game, 38.7 percent from the field (109-of-282), 29.6 percent from the 3-point line (32-of-108) and 58.0 percent from the free-throw line (40-of-69 free-throws) during the five-game home stand.
The Trojans return home on Jan. 16 in the annual Ag Ball contest versus Montana Tech.
DSU matches best 10-game start since 1966-67 season
Dakota State matches their 10-game best start with the 1966-67 men's basketball squad after completing their season-high five-game home stand undefeated. The Trojans opened their five-game home stand with an 81-53 victory over Providence (Mont.) on Nov. 21, followed by a 75-55 victory over MSU-Northern on Nov. 22.
DSU returned to action on Dec. 2 with a 64-53 non-conference finale victory over rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Dec. 2. The Trojans rolled past Mayville State (N.D.) 93-67 on Dec. 5 and Valley City State (N.D.) 77-62 on Dec. 6 to raise their overall record to 9-1 on the season.
The lone setback for Dakota State as Bellevue (Neb.) in the Frontier Conference season opener on Nov. 15 in Bellevue, falling short 78-72. The Bruins are currently one of the two teams that are undefeated in the league play (Carroll, Mont., with 5-0 record).
The 1966-67 Trojan men's basketball team (formerly known as General Beadle State College during that year) began their first ten games of the season with a 9-1 record. They defeated Mayville State 97-80; Northwestern, Iowa, 76-75; Minot State, N.D., 85-73; Ellendale, N.D. – currently known as Trinity Bible – 96-73, Dordt, Iowa, 91-59, Northern State, S.D., 78-73; Peru, Neb., 71-61, and back-to-back wins over Yankton, S.D. 90-86 and 90-87. The lone setback during their 10-game start was to Westmar, Iowa, 81-78.
The Trojans finished the 1966-67 season with an overall record of 20-6, including a 10-2 record in the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference. They shared the SDIC conference title with Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) with 10-2 record, but fell short in the SDIC conference playoffs tiebreaker to DWU 70-69 on a last second tip-in shot to represent the District 12 NAIA playoffs.
Dakota State in the Frontier Conference ranks
According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Thursday, Dakota State leads the Frontier Conference in defense scoring through 10 games this season. The Trojans allowed their opponents to 59.4 points per game as well as holding their opponents to 38.4 field goal percentage (214-of-557 field goals).
The Trojans hold the league lead in the rebounding margin with plus-9 rebounds. DSU is third in the conference with 16.1 assists per game, third in steals per game with 9.5 steals average, and sixth in field goal percentage of 49.8 percent (292-of-586 field goals).
Nathan Ojukwu ranks second in the Frontier Conference with 8.4 rebounds per game for Dakota State. He also ranks seventh in the conference with 18 steals.
Brayden Pankonen is third in the league with 21 steals, while Ojukwu is fifth in the conference with 18 steals. Both Pankonen and Ojukwu are tied for seventh in the Frontier with 2.9 assists per game.
Aiden Jensen ranks fifth in the conference with eight blocked shots for the Trojans.
Trojans sweep first meeting with Providence (Mont.) and MSU-Northern in Frontier Conference
Dakota State met with Providence (Mont.) and Montana State University-Northern last month in their first-ever Frontier Conference meet at DSU Fieldhouse.
The Trojans cruised past the Argos 81-53 in the first Frontier Conference meet on Nov. 21, thanks to DSU's sizzling 55.4 percent from the field (31-of-56 field goals). DSU followed up with a 75-55 over the Lights on Nov. 22, highlighted by a 38-22 halftime advantage.
The Frontier Conference second half of the schedule won't start until mid-January when Dakota State hosts Bellevue (Neb.) on Jan. 23. DSU plays their conference foes for the second time after Jan. 23, flipping their home-and-away contests from the first half of the conference schedules besides Providence and MSU-Northern.
2025-26 DSU Trojan Men's Basketball Team Leaders
