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Second-half surge lifts Dickinson State over Mayville State in first-round of State Farm A.I.I. Men’s Basketball
February 24, 2012
MADISON, S.D. – As Dickinson State trailed 38-30 at halftime Friday evening versus Mayville State in the opening round of the 2012 State Farm Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Men's Basketball at DSU Fieldhouse, the Blue Hawks outscored the Comets 38-22 in the second-half to earn a 68-60 win and a spot in the semifinals.
Dickinson State, tournament's No. 4 seed, raised their record to 12-17. No. 5 seed Mayville State finished their season with a record of 13-15.
The Comets opened the game with an eight-point lead at 20-12 with eleven minutes and 23 seconds left before halftime.
Mayville State drained seven 3-pointers in the first-half to maintain an eight-point halftime lead. Dickinson State was 1-for-8 behind the 3-point arc.
The Comets gained their largest lead of the game at 42-30 with 17:35 left in the game.
Dickinson State used a 12-0 scoring run in the span of seven minutes to tie the game at 42-42 with 10:24 remaining.
With Blue Hawks leading at 51-49 with 5:05 left, Dickinson State sealed the game with a 15-7 run for a double-digit lead at 66-56 with 24 seconds left.
DiSU shot 50 percent (12-for-24) from the field in the second-half compared to the Comets' 26.9 percent (7-for-26).
Casper Hesseldal had a double-double of 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Dickinson State. Matthew Lee added a double-double of 12 points and earned 11 boards. Pierce Brooks added 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Tevin Hurd had five assists.
Bryen Pyles had 16 points and four assists for the Comets. Eric Shulstad added 14 points. Matt Baudin scored 10 points. Gus Kueber recorded nine points and pulled down a game-high 16 rebounds.
The Blue Hawks shot 45.5 percent (25-for-55) overall from the field compared to the Comets' 33.9 percent (19-for-56).
Dickinson State struggled from the free-throw line, shooting 55.2 percent (16-for-29). Mayville State was 13-for-15 (86.7 percent).
DiSU outscored the Comets 15-6 in points off turnovers and 30-14 inside the paint.
Dakota State (16-12), tournament's No. 2 seed, will face No. 3 seed Valley City State (20-9) in the first men's semifinals of the State Farm A.I.I. Basketball Tournament Saturday evening at 5 p.m. Dickinson State will take on the top seed Jamestown (24-5) in the second semifinals at 7 p.m. All games will be at DSU Fieldhouse.
Saturday's semifinal winners will earn an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament in Point Lookout, Mo. on March 7-13.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
