February 1, 2025

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Tied at 60-60 with four minutes to go in the game in the North Star Athletic Association men's basketball action at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse Saturday evening, Dakota State (S.D.) pulled away with a 6-1 closing run in the final 1:20 of the game to earn their second straight victory.  The Trojans won by the score of 66-61 over the Vikings to earn a season series split before their third NSAA meeting on Feb. 15 at DSU Fieldhouse.

Dakota State earned their second straight North Star conference win for the first time this season, improving their overall record to 10-12 and 3-7 NSAA conference record.  The Trojans won for the third time in the last four games.  Valley City State fell to 11-11 overall record and 2-8 NSAA conference record.

DSU earned double digits victories for the fifth consecutive season.  The Trojans also earned their third win over the Vikings in the last four meetings.

Dakota State remains on the road Friday evening as they return to Bellevue (Neb.) for the third NSAA conference meeting of the season.  The game is set to be played at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center in Bellevue, Neb., with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

Dakota State (S.D.) 66, Valley City State (N.D.) 61 – FINAL

Dakota State took the first lead of the game with a basket from Lane Tietz for a 2-0 lead with nineteen minutes and eighteen seconds on the clock.  Valley City State answered with a basket from Tyrel Creger on the next possession to tie the game to 2-2 with 18:54 to go in the first half.

The Trojans opened with an 8-4 lead with a layup from Brayden Pankonen with 15:27 left in the first half.  VCSU then went on a 10-0 scoring run, capped by a 3-pointer from Shaheed Muhammad and forced DSU to call a timeout with 12:54 left before halftime.

Trailing 26-19, Rysley Borman ignited Dakota State's 8-2 scoring run with a 3-pointer (assisted by Spencer Hutchison).  Tyler Beckwith capped the scoring run with a basket inside the paint with 5:39 on the clock in the first half, trailing 28-27.

Pankonen hit a 3-pointer as DSU tied the game to 33-33 with 2:10 to go before halftime.  The Trojans then regained their lead to 35-33 after a basket by Lukas Morgan with 1:27 left in the first.

After Ladarious Stanfield's 3-point play to put Vikings up 36-35, Beckwith closed the first half with a basket when the time expired.  Dakota State led 37-36 at halftime.

DSU shot 15-of-32 from the field (46.9 percent) and 5-of-13 from the 3-point line in the first twenty minutes.  VCSU was 14-of-31 field goals (45.2 percent) and 5-of-11 3-pointers in the first half.

Both teams traded leads in the first four-plus minutes of the second half before the Trojans made a scoring run.  Down 44-42, Beckwith hit a 3-pointer to start DSU's 9-0 scoring run.  Colby Dillenbeck capped the scoring run with a basket for a 51-44 Trojans' lead with 12:40 remaining.

Valley City State came back and regained their lead at 56-55 with 7:21 remaining after Odier Olange's basket.  Both teams traded leads and tied the game for rest of the second half.

Creger hit a free throw as the Vikings tied the game at 60-60 with 4:03 left.

The Trojans snapped the scoring drought with a basket from Morgan for a 62-60 lead with 1:20 remaining in the game.

VCSU missed a scoring opportunity on the ensuing possession, regaining possession for DSU.  After a turnover committed by DSU, VCSU's Caden Grinde was fouled by the Trojans.  Grinde missed the first attempt on the double bonus situation and made the second free throw as VCSU trailed 62-61 with less than 25 seconds to go.

The Vikings committed a foul on DSU's Lane Tietz, sending to the free throw line with 20 seconds to go.  He hit both free throws to put Dakota State up 64-61

Valley City State missed a pair of 3 pointers on the next possession for a potential game-tying situation.  Tietz rebounded the ball and was fouled by the Vikings, sending him to the free throw line.  Tietz hit both free throws to secure the victory for Dakota State.

DSU outscored VCSU 29-25 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  The Trojans were 10-of-24 from the field (41.7 percent) in the second half compared to the Vikings 8-of-26 field goals (30.8 percent).

Beckwith led Dakota State with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds (both season highs).  He was 6-of-9 from the field, 2-of-2 from the 3-point line, and hit 3-of-4 free throws.  Pankonen added 15 points and two steals.  Tietz had 11 points. 

Dillenbeck scored nine points and grabbed three rebounds off the bench for DSU.  Morgan had six points and seven rebounds.  Aiden Jensen collected five rebounds and recorded three blocks. 

Nine different Trojan players recorded at least an assist. 

Creger led the Vikings with 15 points, four rebounds, and three assists.  Muhammad added 12 points.  Grinde had nine points, six rebounds, and three steals.  Olange and Stanfield each had seven points.  Olange dished out four assists.

The statistics were evenly close for Dakota State and Valley City State.  The Trojans had three more field goals than the Vikings (25-22), while the Vikings had two more 3-pointers (10-8).  DSU had one more free throw than VCSU (8-7).

DSU shot 44.6 percent overall from the field (25-of-56 field goals) and limited VCSU to 38.6 percent (22-of-57 field goals).

Dakota State used a rebounding edge, outrebounding Valley City State 44-28 (13-7).  The Trojans outscored the Vikings 15-7 in second chance points.  DSU also outscored VCSU 34-24 inside the paint.