Voss scores 37, DWU men cruise against VCSU

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team came into play against Valley City State University as the best team in the NAIA in assist to turnover ratio and the Tigers did nothing to hurt that ranking in a 96-76 win over the Vikings Tuesday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.

The Tigers had 26 assists as a team and committed just five turnovers in the win, to push their record to 7-0 heading into Great Plains Athletic Conference play this weekend.

DWU was led on the offensive side by senior forward Jalen Voss (Worthington, Minn.), who scored a season-high 37 points on 16-of-22 shooting from the field, while making three 3-pointers and pulling down five rebounds. DWU also made 18-of-23 free throws, while the Vikings shot 8-of-12 from the line.

The Tigers shot 54 percent from the field in the win, while making 8-of-23 shots from behind the three-point line.

Senior guard Kris Menning (Corsica, S.D.) added 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including two 3-pointers. Senior forward Luke Bamberg (Corsica, S.D.) added six points, six rebounds and seven assists, while Trae Bergh (Crooks, S.D.) scored six points and dished out six assists.

Junior forward Jade Miller (Mitchell, S.D.) came off the bench to make three 3-pointers in the second half to help the Tigers pull away. Tate Martin (Mitchell, S.D.) added seven assists, while Joey Mitchell (Tulare, S.D.) finished with nine points and three assists.

The Vikings shot 58.5 percent from the field, but turned the ball over 17 times and took 12 fewer shots than DWU. VCSU got a team-high 19 points from Jayden Ferguson, while Mac Kroeplin added 14 points.

The Tigers enter GPAC play with a matchup against Nebraska Wesleyan University at 4 p.m. Saturday in Lincoln, Neb.