Spicer, Martin Push DWU to Last-Second Victory

MITCHELL, S.D. – After trading the lead 15 times, the No. 10 Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team clinched a Great Plains Athletic Conference victory Wednesday night over Doane University, 76-75 at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.

 Doane jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead in the first three minutes of the game. DWU retook the lead, 17-16 after a Nate Davis (Watertown, S.D.) 3-pointer. Following Davis' shot, Jason Spicer (Sioux Falls, S.D.) took over in the paint as he finished with 18 first-half points, giving DWU a 40-37 lead at halftime. DWU shot 55 percent from the field off of 11 assists in the first half.

 Senior Tate Martin (Mitchell, S.D.) and crew came flying out of the gates after halftime as he drained a deep 3-pointer followed by Trae Vandeberg (Madison, S.D.) cutting through the lane for two more points to give the Tigers an eight-point lead. With eight minutes left, Doane took their biggest lead of the second half, 65-60. That lead was quickly erased following a Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapid, S.D.) 3-pointer to give DWU a 66-65 lead.

 The lead changed hands multiple times in the last seven minutes of the game. Spicer would give DWU a four-point lead with one minute left after a made free-throw, but saw that lead vanish after a layup from Doane, giving them a 75-74 lead. But Martin would not be denied as he drove to the hoop and made a contested layup to give DWU the 76-75 victory.

 Spicer tied his career-high with 29 points, and had six rebounds along with five assists. Hoglund added 15 points, while Martin scored 11 points and dished out nine assists. Vandeberg came up just shy of a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds.

 DWU takes the court next at 4 p.m. Saturday as they take on Hastings College in a GPAC match-up in Hastings, Neb.