November 10, 2026
THE GAMES AT A GLANCE
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2026 vs. Dordt (Iowa)
Location: Sanford Sports Complex / Pentagon / Sioux Falls, S.D. |
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| Start Time: 7:30 p.m. |
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Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026 at Briar Cliff (Iowa)
Location: Newman Flanagan Center / Sioux City, Iowa |
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| Start Time: 4 p.m. |
THIS WEEK
Dakota State (S.D.) (3-0 overall record) prepares for a pair of games against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference this week. The Trojans play Dordt (Iowa) (3-1 overall record) in the annual contest at the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, S.D. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.
DSU travels to Sioux City, Iowa, at Newman Flanagan Center to take on another GPAC foe, Briar Cliff (Iowa) at 4 p.m.
QUICK HITS
*Dakota State plays their second and third opponents from the Great Plains Athletic Conference this week. The Trojans are 1-0 record against the GPAC this season, including an 85-82 neutral site victory over Mount Marty (S.D.) on Nov. 6 in Bellevue, Neb.
*The Trojans will play their fourth and final non-conference contest on Nov. 29 versus Great Plains Athletic Conference, Morningside (Iowa) at DSU Fieldhouse.
*Dakota State is seeking consecutive wins in the series meeting with Dordt (Iowa) at the Sanford Sports Complex for the first time.
*DSU and Briar Cliff are meeting for the first time since Oct. 26, 2023, where they played at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans are seeking for their first win over the Chargers since Nov. 21, 2017.
*Dakota State plays an exhibition game next Tuesday in Mankato, Minn., before opening up the Frontier Conference play on Nov. 21 at DSU Fieldhouse versus Bellevue.
2026-27 STATS COMPARISON
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| Scoring Offense |
96.3 |
83.3 |
75.0 |
| Scoring Defense |
60.0 |
69.5 |
85.3 |
| Scoring Margin |
36.3 |
13.8 |
-10.3 |
| Field Goal % |
.579 |
.466 |
.451 |
| Field Goal Def. % |
.398 |
.383 |
.492 |
| Free Throw % |
.698 |
.786 |
.621 |
| Rebounds Per Game |
41.7 |
40.3 |
30.5 |
| Rebounds Margin |
18.7 |
4.8 |
-6.3 |
| 3-point FGs Made Per Game |
5.7 |
9.0 |
6.5 |
| 3-point FG % |
.354 |
.396 |
.292 |
| Assists Per Game |
18.0 |
15.5 |
13.3 |
| Blocks Per Game |
2.0 |
1.8 |
1.3 |
SCOUTING DORDT (IOWA)
Dordt enters Tuesday's match-up with a 3-1 overall record under head coach Brian Van Haaften. The Defenders opened the season with victories over Benedictine (Kan.) and Waldorf (Iowa) before suffering an 82-79 loss to (RV) Friends (Kan.). Dordt bounced back the following day with an 84-62 victory over Viterbo (Wis.).
Connor Millikan has been one of Dordt's early offensive leaders. He scored 21 points with seven assists and five steals against Friends before adding 14 points against Viterbo. Nick Hanson led the Defenders with 18 points in the Viterbo victory, while Landon De Stigter and Judson Henkel have also provided consistent scoring production.
Dordt shot 48.3 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from 3-point range in its victory over Viterbo while forcing 22 turnovers. The Defenders also placed five players in double figures in the 22-point win.
Dakota State trails the all-time series against Dordt 3-14 but won the most recent meeting 80-68 last season at the Sanford Sports Complex. The victory snapped a 12-game losing streak against the Defenders and marked DSU's first win in the series since 2013.
Dakota State enters Tuesday's matchup with a perfect 3-0 record after defeating Mount Marty (S.D.) 85-82 and Ozark Christian (Mo.) 106-60 at the CHI Health Orthopedic Classic last weekend.
SCOUTING BRIAR CLIFF (IOWA)
Briar Cliff, under the guidance of Mark Svagera who is the head coach since the 2017-18 season, enters its second full week of November looking to rebound from three consecutive NAIA losses after opening the season with a 90–87 road victory over Mount Mercy (Iowa). The Chargers have faced a challenging early schedule, including nationally ranked Grace (Ind.) and Huntington (Ind.).
The Chargers were picked seventh in the 2026–27 GPAC preseason coaches' poll with 52 points after finishing 13–15 overall and 10–10 in conference play last season. Briar Cliff returns several important contributors, highlighted by second-team All-GPAC selection Jaxson Wingert and honorable mention recipient Colby Collison.
Briar Cliff is coming off from a 77-67 setback at York (Neb.) on Nov. 4 before falling to South Dakota State 71-49 in an exhibition game in Brookings on Nov. 6.
TROJANS OPEN 2026-27 WITH 3-0 START
Dakota State has opened the 2026-27 season with three consecutive victories, defeating Trinity Bible (N.D.) 98-38 before earning wins over Mount Marty (S.D.) and Ozark Christian (Mo.) at the CHI Health Orthopedic Classic in Bellevue, Neb. The Trojans enter Tuesday's matchup with Dordt (Iowa) with a 3-0 overall record.
Dakota State opened the classic with an 85-82 victory over previously unbeaten Mount Marty. The Trojans trailed 38-36 at halftime before shooting 60 percent from the field in the second half and scoring 49 points.
Tyler Beckwith led DSU with a career-high 18 points,
Brayden Pankonen added 17 and
Lukas Morgan scored 16. Pankonen scored Dakota State's final six points, including four free throws in the closing seconds to secure the victory.
The Trojans followed with a 106-60 victory over Ozark Christian (Mo.), reaching the century mark for the first time this season. Dakota State shot 62.7 percent from the field and placed six players in double figures. Beckwith scored a game-high 15 points, while Morgan and
Aiden Jensen each added 14.
Jonathan Campbell scored 11 points on perfect 5-of-5 shooting, and
TJ Harris finished with 10 points and six assists.
Dakota State dominated the interior against Ozark Christian, holding advantages of 82-26 in points in the paint, 46-18 in rebounds, 27-5 in second-chance points and 51-19 in bench scoring. The Trojans also forced 20 turnovers and recorded 26 assists.
DSU faces Dordt Tuesday at the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls before traveling to Briar Cliff (Iowa) Saturday. The Trojans then play an exhibition at NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Mankato Nov. 17 before opening Frontier Conference play Nov. 21 against Bellevue (Neb.) at the DSU Fieldhouse.
UPCOMING DSU'S FOUR-GAME HOME STAND
Dakota State (S.D.) men's basketball returns to the DSU Fieldhouse in Madison for a four-game homestand beginning Saturday, Nov. 21, and continuing through Saturday, Dec. 5. The Trojans will host Bellevue (Neb.) in the Frontier Conference season and home opener at DSU Fieldhouse on Nov. 21, followed by a non-conference finale versus Morningside (Iowa) on Nov. 29. The Trojans return to league play against Dickinson State (N.D.) on Dec. 3 and Bismarck State (N.D.) on Dec. 5.
Before beginning the homestand, Dakota State faces Dordt (Iowa) Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, followed by road contests at Briar Cliff (Iowa) on Nov. 14 and an exhibition at NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Mankato on Nov. 17.
The Trojans opened the 2026–27 campaign with three consecutive victories, defeating Trinity Bible (N.D.) 98–38, Mount Marty (S.D.) 85–82 and Ozark Christian (Mo.) 106–60. Dakota State will look to build on that early-season momentum during its extended stay at home.
Dakota State plays a total of 12 home games at DSU Fieldhouse, including 11 Frontier Conference contests and a non-conference game with Morningside.
2026-27 DSU Trojan Men's Basketball Team Leaders
- Points/Points Per Game: Lukas Morgan – 46 points (15.3 points per game)
- Field Goal Percentage: Tyler Beckwith – 69.2 percent (18-of-26 field goals)
- 3-point Field Goal Percentage: Tyler Beckwith – 71.4 percent (5-of-7 3-point field goals)
- Free-Throw Percentage: Brayden Pankonen – 100.0 percent (8-of-8 free-throws)
- Rebounds: Lukas Morgan – 17 rebounds (5.7 rebounds per game)
- Assists/Assists Per Game: TJ Harris – 9 assists/3.0 assists per game
- Steals/Steals Per Game: Brayden Pankonen – 9 steals/3.0 steals per game
- Blocked Shots: Aiden Jensen – 3 blocked shots (1.0 blocks per game)
