DWU men complete season sweep of Concordia

MITCHELL, S.D. – After beating Concordia University by more than 30 points on the road earlier this season, the Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team was looking forward to home court advantage – and another big win – Saturday night at the Corn Palace.

But the Bulldogs proved to be a different team this time around. Concordia led the Tigers much of the game, and hung around in the second half. The Bulldogs took a one-point lead with nine minutes left, but DWU used a late run to pull away for a 78-70 win.

After trailing much of the first half, Dakota Wesleyan finally took a lead in the second, but was never able to pull away. The Bulldogs tied the game at 52 in the second half, and took a 55-54 lead a few minutes later, but Dakota Wesleyan went on a 17-3 run to go up 14, 71-57, with 3:42 left to play. Luke Bamberg had seven points in the run. The Bulldogs cut the gap to nine, 72-63, with 1:59 remaining, but Bamberg went 3-for-4 from the line to go up 12, and the Tigers were able to hang on from there.

After Jalen Voss scored the first basket of the game for Dakota Wesleyan, Concordia went on a 13-4 run to go up 13-6 with 16:50 left in the first half. The Tigers never let Concordia's lead get to more than seven points, and DWU got within one, 23-22, with 9:28 left in the half on a three by Trae Bergh, but Aaron Walker and Robby Thomas hit back-to-back threes to make it a seven-point game again, this time 29-22, with 8:08 left in the half.

After the Bulldogs made it 31-24, Trae Bergh hit a three to spark a 7-2 run to tie the game at 33 with 1:12 left in the half. Adam Vogt hit a jumper with 12 seconds left, but Stephen Lee hit a three at the buzzer to put the Tigers up 36-35 at halftime. Neither team led by more than three points in the second until Tate Martin converted a three-point play to put DWU up four, 50-46, with 12:43 left. The Bulldogs took a slim lead a few minutes later before Dakota Wesleyan went on its late run.

Voss finished with 22 points to pace DWU, which shot 47.3 percent from the field. Bergh added 21 points and 10 rebounds, Bamberg finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds and Kris Menning finished with 10 points for the Tigers. DWU went 19-for-26 from the line and had 36 rebounds and nine turnovers.

Thomas had 16 points to pace Concordia (7-19, 2-15). Chandler Folkerts added 12 points and nine rebounds and Vogt and Micah Kohlwey each had 10 points. The Bulldogs shot 44.3 percent from the field and went 10-for-10 from the line. They had 31 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

DWU is back at home Wednesday, Feb. 12, when it hosts Northwestern College at 8 p.m.