A late first-half run proved to be the difference in leading the Dordt University men's basketball team to a 74-63 win over Dakota State in a non-conference game played tonight at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The Defenders stay unbeaten, improving to 3-0 on the season; Dakota State slips to 1-2.
Leading by just two (28-26), Dordt closed the first half with a 14-4 run, finished off with a
Cade Bleeker three-pointer just before the first half time expired, to take a 42-30 lead into the locker room.
Dakota State scored the first five points of the half to trim the Defenders lead to seven (42-35) but the Trojans did not get any closer during the final half. The teams traded baskets over the next 7-8 minutes until Dordt outscored the Trojans 7-1 to take its biggest lead, 57-41, after a three-pointer by
Jackson Lee with 9:11 left to play.Â
Dordt, however, was unable to completely put away DSU as the Trojans made one final run to get within nine (64-55) on a basket by Ethan Damerum with three minutes left.
Bryce Coppock converted four straight free throws and scored on a pull-up jumper during the final minutes to secure the Defenders win.
By the Numbers...
- Dordt shot 44% for the game, 26% (5/19) from the three-point arc
- DSU shot 34% for the game, 44% (11/25) from the 3-point line
- The Defenders held a slight edge on the glass (44-40) and a 14-13 advantage in turnovers
- Jackson Louscher led the Defenders with 15 points, scoring in double figures for the third straight game
- The junior guard was a perfect 5-5 from the field and also pulled down four rebounds to go with three assists
- Cade Bleeker and Bryce Coppock contributed 13 points each
- Camden Bialas and Jacob Vis both scored eight pointsÂ
- Lucas Lorenzen pulled down a career-best nine rebounds to go with eight points
- Louscher, Bleeker and Coppock have scored in double figures in all three games this season
- Dakota State was led by Manny N'Tula with 18 points, draining 5-of-8 three-point attempts
