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DSU men's basketball hosts pair of games with N.D. teams this week
January 22, 2013
THIS WEEK: Dakota State (14-6 overall record, 2-1 Association of Independent Institutions conference record) hosts a pair of teams from North Dakota at DSU Fieldhouse this week. The Trojans welcome No. 24 Valley City State (N.D.) (15-5, 4-2 A.I.I.) on Thursday night. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Dakota State entertains Trinity Bible (N.D.) (7-11). The game is slated to start at 6 p.m. as part of Parents’ Night.
DSU VERSUS RANKED TEAMS: Dakota State had won the last two home games versus ranked teams at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans defeated then-No. 10 Dordt (Iowa) 83-65 on Jan. 9 and then-No. 19 Bellevue (Neb.) 61-59 on Dec. 21. This Thursday's game mark the fifth time this season that DSU had faced a nationally-ranked team from the NAIA Division II. Dakota State is 2-2 versus NAIA's 'Top 25' teams this season, both losses to Northwestern (Iowa) - 78-70 on Nov. 7 in Madison, S.D. and 77-62 in Orange City, Iowa on Dec. 8.
HOME COOKING: Dakota State is 7-1 at the DSU Fieldhouse this season. The Trojans had defeated Oglala Lakota (S.D.), Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), Morningside (Iowa), Presentation (S.D.), Bellevue (Neb.), Midland (Neb.) and Dordt (Iowa). DSU's only loss at home was to nationally-ranked Northwestern (Iowa) on Nov. 7. DSU had won the last six home games at the DSU Fieldhouse (2-0 in the month of January). Since head coach Gary Garner arrival at Dakota State, the Trojans had recorded a winning record at the DSU Fieldhouse in each year (34-17 home record since 2009-10 season).
TROJANS SWEEP LONG-TIME RIVAL DWU: The Trojans defeated their long-time rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 73-58 on Jan. 18 at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D. It was the first time in many years that Dakota State had swept a season series with the Tigers in the same season (DSU beat DWU 68-64 on Nov. 10 in Madison, S.D.). The Trojans recorded their second straight victory at the Corn Palace versus DWU (defeated Tigers 78-73 on Dec.19, 2011).
LAST MEETING: Dakota State and Valley City State met once last season. They met in the semifinals of the 2012 State Farm A.I.I. Division II Men's Basketball Conference Postseason Tournament at the DSU Fieldhouse in Madison, S.D. on Feb. 25, 2012. The Trojans raced to a 38-26 halftime advantage over the Vikings (No. 25 at that time). DSU earned the biggest lead of the game at 58-42 with 12:12 remaining in the game. VCSU could get no closer than four points (77-73) with just a minute left in the game as the Trojans secured an automatic bid to the 2012 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament with an 82-73 victory. DSU and Trinity Bible met on Nov. 15 in Ellendale, N.D. for both teams' last meeting. The Trojans hung on to a three-point halftime lead (35-32), but outscored the Lions 45-27 in the second-half to record an 80-59 road victory.
DSU RECEIVES VOTES TO NATIONAL POLL: DSU made their sixth straight appearance to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball national poll, announced Tuesday (Jan. 22). The Trojans received votes' recognition with five votes for the third consecutive weeks. Valley City State (N.D.) had dropped four spots from No. 20 to No. 24 after splitting a pair of games in the Dakota Tip-off Classic in Jamestown, N.D. The seventh edition of the national poll will be announced on next Tuesday, Jan. 29.
HISTORY LESSON: Dakota State is seeking their third consecutive winning seasons. The last time that the Trojans had recoded three straight winning seasons was from 1989-93 (four straight winning seasons). DSU was 15-14 overall record in 2010-11 and 18-13 in 2011-12 (A.I.I. Division II Conference Postseason Tournament Champions and NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament qualifier).
LAST TIME OUT: Dakota State registered two wins and one loss last week away from the DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans went to the Corn Palace on Jan. 16 and defeated long-time rival Dakota Wesleyan 73-58. DSU dropped the first game of the Dakota Tip-off Classic to host-team Jamestown (N.D.) 62-57 on Jan. 19, but bounced back to rout Mayville State (N.D.) 65-49 on Jan. 20. Valley City State defeated Mayville State 65-50 in the Dakota Tip-off Classic semifinals on Jan. 19, but dropped a 69-66 contest to rival Jamestown on Jan. 20. Trinity Bible suffered their fifth straight defeat on Jan. 18 as they lost to Dakota College at Bottineau 88-85 in overtime.
INDEPENDENT SPEAKING: Dakota State is third in the latest A.I.I. weekly ranking as of Monday, Jan. 21. Rochester (Mich.) is on the top of the ranking with a 14-3 record followed by Valley City State (N.D.) with a 15-5 record. Ashford (Iowa) sits at No. 4 spot with a 16-6 record. Jamestown (N.D.) is fifth, Northern New Mexico No. 6, Wilberforce (Ohio) No. 7 and Johnson & Wales (Colo.) No. 8. The A.I.I. Division II Men's Basketball Conference Postseason Tournament will be held in Jamestown, N.D. on Feb. 22-24.
DSU QUICK LEADERS: Tyrone Gordon, Jr. leads the team with 15.6 points per game for the Trojans. He shoots 54.3 percent from the field. John Lamb averages 12.7 points per game and leads the team in assists with 60 (3.2 assists per game). He records 39 steals (41st in the nation) this season (2.1 steals per game-33rd in the nation). He ranks 16th in the nation in total 3-ponters made (55) and 17th in 3-point field goals made per game (2.9). Yusuf Vinson accumulates a total of 140 rebounds with an average of 7.4 rebounds per game. Terrell Newton leads the team in blocked shots with 12 (0.7 blocks per game).
WATCH & LISTEN IT: Dakota State will have a free live video and audio of DSU-VCSU/TBC basketball games this week. Fans wanting to follow the action can go to the following link: http://streaming.dsu.edu/Athletics-Live. The link also will be available on www.dsuathletics.com in the 'Live Games' tab above the 'Upcoming Events.'
LIVE STATS/PLAY-BY-PLAY: All Dakota State home basketball games will have live stats and play-by-play. The live stats link is available on game day on www.dsuathletics.com under 'Live Games' tab above the 'Upcoming Events.'
STAY CONNECTED: Stay connected with Dakota State Trojan men's basketball and athletics all season long on www.dsuathletics.com. The Trojans are also on Twitter, just log onto www.twitter.com/GoDaSUAthletics. The Dakota State University Athletics group page can be found on Facebook on https://www.facebook.com/DSUTrojanAthletics.
UP NEXT: Dakota State plays a pair of game next week. The Trojans travel to Yankton, S.D. on Tuesday, Jan. 29 to take on in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.). Tip-off from the Cimpl Arena is set for 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Feb. 2, Dakota State returns home for an A.I.I. conference game versus Jamestown (N.D.) . The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at the DSU Fieldhouse in Madison, S.D.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
