DWU men hold off upstart Doane 86-83

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team returned home after three straight on the road against ranked teams to down Doane College and snap a two-game losing skid in a Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup Saturday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.

After struggling to find the bottom of the basket with 34 percent shooting in the first half, DWU was 66.7 percent in the second half to earn an 86-83 win over Doane to stay atop the GPAC standings.

The No. 4 Tigers (22-3, 12-3 GPAC) got all they could handle and trailed Doane by 11 points at the half. The deficit was quickly erased by DWU at the start of the second half, as Wesleyan came out after the break on an 8-0 run to cut the Doane lead to three. DWU took its first lead of the second half on a 3-pointer by Joey Mitchell (Tulare, S.D.) from the corner with 13:31 remaining.

DWU looked to be in control late with an eight-point lead with 23 seconds to go, but Doane had a five-point trip down the court after Deonte Holt was fouled shooting a 3-pointer. He hit the first two free-throws and got his own rebound on the third. Holt quickly hit a 3-pointer to make the 2,931 fans at the Corn Palace sit a little farther on the edge of their seats.

Trailing by three points with 3.5 seconds to play, Doane had a chance to tie the game, but Mitchell stole the inbound pass and DWU dribbled out the clock.

DWU completed a rarity in basketball, finishing the game with no turnovers. The stat will help Wesleyan improve on its nation-leading assist to turnover ratio after the team finished with 19 total assists.

Junior guard Trae Bergh (Crooks, S.D.) has done the majority of his damage this season from behind the 3-point line, but led DWU with 29 points, while making just 1-of-3 triples. Bergh was able to get to the basket, making 10-of-14 shots from the field and 8-of-9 free throws. Bergh completed a crucial three-point play in the waning moments that brought a rousing cheer from the DWU faithful.

In his first start and second appearance since sitting five games with an injury, senior forward Jalen Voss (Worthington, Minn.) scored 19 points on 9-of-17 shooting and grabbed five rebounds.

Senior guard Kris Menning (Corsica, S.D.) added 13 points and seven assists, while Mitchell finished with 10 points. Senior forward Luke Bamberg (Corsica, S.D.) filled the stat sheet with six points, eight rebounds, three assist and two blocks. Junior guard Jade Miller (Mitchell, S.D.) chipped in with nine points off the bench, including a crowd-pleasing dunk in the second half.

Doane had four players finish in double digits, led by Michael Hermann with 16 points and six rebounds. Reid Williams added 15 points, including three 3-pointers, while Nate Dahl and Holt scored 12 and 10, respectively. Doane shot 27-of-49 from the field and 14-of-20 from deep. Doane won the rebounding battle 27-18, while committing 13 turnovers.

DWU welcomes Dordt College, the team that handed Wesleyan its first loss of the season, to the Corn Palace at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

NOTES: As a part DWU Alumni Day, the athletic department welcomed back former women's basketball star Randi Morgan Haines and retired her No. 54 jersey. Haines was honored with a ceremony at the half of the DWU men's game, where she was presented with a framed jersey. Haines is the first DWU women's player to have her jersey retired, joining five men's players.