November 6, 2026

CHI HEALTH ORTHOPEDIC CLASSIC
THE GAMES AT A GLANCE

Date: Friday, November 6, 2026 vs. Mount Marty (S.D.) Location: BU Fieldhouse / Bellevue, Neb.
Start Time: 5 p.m.

 

Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026 vs. Ozark Christian (Mo.) Location: BU Fieldhouse / Bellevue, Neb.
Start Time: 5 p.m.

THIS WEEK
Dakota State (S.D.) (1-0 overall record) returns to action this weekend in the 2026 Chi Health Orthopedic Classic, hosted by Bellevue (Neb.) at BU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans take on Mount Marty (S.D.) (3-0 overall record) on Friday evening and Ozark Christian (Mo.) on Saturday evening.

Both games are set for 5 p.m.

QUICK HITS
*Dakota State begins their three-game neutral sites contests, incluidng this weekend's in the tournament held at Bellevue (Neb.).  The Trojans wrap up their three-game neutral stiate on Tuesday versus Dordt (Iowa) in the annual contest at the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, S.D.

*Dakota State and Mount Marty (S.D.) return in the series meeting after a 3-year hiatus.  The last time both teams played each other was in Yankton, S.D., on Nov. 29, 2023, won by the Lancers.  They will play on a neutral site for the first time since Nov. 28, 2021, in the Midland (Neb.) Classic in Fremont, Neb.

*The Trojans will play three opponents from the Great Plains Athletic Conference on their non-conference schedule, including Mount Marty, Briar Cliff (Iowa), and Morningside (Iowa).

*Saturday's meeting will be the third meeting between DSU and Ozarks Christian (Mo.), which all three meetings are held in Bellevue, Neb.
 

Scoring Offense	98.0	122.7	N/A
Scoring Defense	38.0	69.7	N/A
Scoring Margin	60.0	53.0	N/A
Field Goal %	.567	.619	N/A
Field Goal Def. %	.283	.478	N/A
Free Throw %	.607	.693	N/A
Rebounds Per Game	50.0	36.0	N/A
Rebounds Margin	23.0	13.0	N/A
3-point FGs Made Per Game	5.0	10.0	N/A
3-point FG %	.357	.390	N/A
Assists Per Game	13.0	28.3	N/A
Blocks Per Game	3.0	0.7	N/A

SCOUTING MOUNT MARTY (S.D.)
Mount Marty enters Friday's match up with a 3-0 record after opening the season with home victories over Maharishi International, Union Adventist and Tabor (Kan.). The Lancers have scored more than 110 points in each of their first three games, including a 138-64 season-opening victory.

Collin Authier is in his fifth season as Mount Marty's head coach. The Lancers enjoyed their best GPAC season in program history last year, finishing third in the conference with 13 league victories and advancing to the GPAC Tournament semifinals.

Mount Marty returns several experienced players, including Mac Ryken, Damon Opdahl, Rugby Ryken and Daniel Shea. Former Dakota State forward Hayden Anderson is also on the Lancers' roster this season.

Dakota State was 17-4 record in the last 21 meetings with Mount Marty. The Lancers won the most recent meeting 77-69 in Yankton during the 2023-24 season, snapping a three-game DSU winning streak in the series.

SCOUTING OZARK CHRISTIAN (MO.)
Ozark Christian competes in the NCCAA Division II Central Region and is guided by longtime head coach and athletic director Chris Lahm. Lahm has served at Ozark since 2005 and has nearly 650 career games of head-coaching experience, earning three NCCAA Regional Coach of the Year awards and the NCCAA National Coach of the Year award in 1998.

The Ambassadors finished the 2025-26 season with an 11-17 overall record while averaging 76.4 points per game. Ozark Christian has made four NCCAA Division II National Championship appearances since 2013, most recently in 2023.

Ozark Christian opened the 2026-27 season with an 88-55 loss to Mid-America Christian on Oct. 27.

The all-time series between Dakota State and Ozark Christian is tied at 1-1, with the most recent meeting being a 83-67 setback for the Trojans on November 23, 2024.

TROJANS OPEN 2026-27 WITH CONVINCING VICTORY
Dakota State opened the 2026-27 season with a 98-38 victory over Trinity Bible (N.D.) Oct. 27 in the Education Kickoff Classic at Madison High School. The Trojans built a 51-21 halftime advantage before outscoring the Lions 47-17 in the second half.

Lukas Morgan led Dakota State with 16 points and eight rebounds while shooting 8-of-11 from the field. Freshman TJ Harris added 14 points and five rebounds off the bench on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting performance, while Tyler Beckwith scored 12 points. Aiden Jensen added nine points in his return to his former high school gym.

The Trojans shot 56.7 percent from the field and held Trinity Bible to 28.3 percent shooting and 13.6 percent from the 3-point line. Dakota State also forced 26 turnovers in the 60-point victory.

Dakota State returns to action Nov. 6-7 at the classic in Bellevue, Neb. The Trojans face Mount Marty (S.D.) Friday at 5 p.m. before meeting Ozark Christian (Mo.) Saturday at 5 p.m. DSU then faces Dordt (Iowa) Nov. 10 at the Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls.

DSU'S NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Dakota State University's men's basketball team features six non-conference contests during the 2026-27 season, highlighted by match ups with Great Plains Athletic Conference opponents, a pair of games at the CHI Health Orthopedic Classic in Bellevue, Neb., and an exhibition contest against NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Mankato.

The Trojans opened their season Oct. 27 with a convincing 98-38 victory over Trinity Bible (N.D.) in the Education Kickoff Classic at Madison High School.

Dakota State continues its non-conference schedule Nov. 6-7 at the CHI Health Orthopedic Classic, facing Mount Marty (S.D.) and Ozark Christian (Mo.) in Bellevue, Neb. The Trojans then travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., for an annual neutral-site showdown with Dordt (Iowa) on Nov. 10 at the Sanford Sports Complex.

DSU follows with a road contest against Briar Cliff (Iowa) on Nov. 14 in Sioux City, Iowa, before traveling to Mankato, Minn., for an exhibition match up against NCAA Division II Minnesota State on Nov. 17.

After opening Frontier Conference action Nov. 21 against Bellevue (Neb.), the Trojans return to non-conference play Nov. 29 when they host Morningside (Iowa) at the DSU Fieldhouse.

The non-conference slate provides Dakota State opportunities to compete against regional opponents and prepare for its 22-game Frontier Conference schedule, which features 11 home and 11 road contests.

TROJANS IN THE FRONTIER CONFERENCE RANKS
According to the NAIA-PrestoStats website as of Friday, Dakota State's Lukas Morgan ranks fourth in the Frontier Conference with 8.0 rebounds per game.  TJ Harris leads the league in field goal percentage with 100.0 percent after making all six field goals in DSU's 98-38 victory over Trinity Bible (N.D.) in the season opener on Oct. 27 at the Madison High School.  Morgan also ranks fifth in the Frontier Conference with 72.7 percent from the field.

Aiden Jensen (3-of-3 free-throws) and Brayden Pankonen (2-of-2 free-throws) leads the Frontier Conference in free-throw percentage with 100.0 percent.  

Dakota State ranks second in the league in scoring offense, averaging 98.0 points per game.  The Trojans lead the Frontier Conference in scoring defense after allowing 38.0 points per game.

2026-27 DSU Trojan Men's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game: Lukas Morgan – 16 points (16.0 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage: TJ Harris – 100.0 percent (6-of-6 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage: TJ Harris, Luke Bauer – 100.0 percent (1-of-1 3-point field goal)
• Free-Throw Percentage: Brayden Pankonen – 100.0 percent (3-of-3 free-throws)
• Rebounds: Lukas Morgan – 8 rebounds (8.0 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game: Jonathan Campbell – 3 assists/3.0 assists per game
• Steals/Steals Per Game: Brayden Pankonen – 6 steals/6.0 steals per game
• Blocked Shots: Aiden Jensen – 2 blocked shots (2.0 blocks per game