(RV) Tigers fend off Lancers

YANKTON, S.D. – After a 55-point second half, the Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team pulled away to defeat Mount Marty College 86-80 in a Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup Wednesday in Yankton, S.D.

 The Tiger (8-3, 4-3 GPAC) offense struggled early in the game as DWU began the game 0-of-6 from the field and found themselves down early, 8-1. However, Nick Harden (Chicago, Ill.) drove the right baseline for a layup and the foul to give the Tigers the first basket of the game.

 DWU would pick up the pace on offense as Koln Oppold (Sioux Falls, S.D.) nailed a 3-point basket followed by another 3-pointer from Aaron Ahmadu (Houston, Texas) to pull the Tigers back within a point, with Mount Marty (3-9, 1-6 GPAC) still leading 15-14. 

 Both teams traded baskets but DWU would chip away at the Lancer lead. After a jumper from Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapids, S.D.), the Tigers would take their first lead of the game off a Nate Davis (Watertown, S.D.) 3-pointer as DWU led 25-24.

 The Lancers and Tigers continued to trade baskets down the stretch as both teams settled to a 31-31 tie going into the halftime break.

 In the second half, DWU answered a quick bucket from the Lancers with a Sam McCloud (Rapid City, S.D.) 3-pointer as the Tigers grabbed a 34-33 lead. The Tiger defense began to let their presence known leading into scoring chances for the Tiger offense. Hoglund received a feed from Tristan Teichmeier (Sioux Falls, S.D.) to give DWU its' biggest lead of the game to that point, 39-35.

 The Tigers offense began to flex their muscles after a 13-0 run, highlighted by 3-point baskets from Ahmadu and Harden as DWU grabbed a 12-point lead with 13:33 left to play. The Lancers would fight back with eight minutes remaining in the ballgame, but back-to-back scoring possessions by a McCloud 3-pointer and a Harden layup kept the Tigers out in front.

 After Mount Marty cut the Tiger lead to three, Hoglund stepped up to the free-throw line and nailed two free-throws. A layup from Teichmeier with the assist from Hoglund helped the Tigers keep pace with the Lancers. DWU continued to hit free throws down the stretch and held on for the win.

 Hoglund led all scorers with 27 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field, as he finished 15-of-15 from the free-throw line. Harden and McCloud each tallied 16 points as Harden also collected five steals. Teichmeier chipped in 12 points off the bench and grabbed 10 rebounds to secure a double-double, while Ahmadu finished with nine points off of three 3-pointers. DWU finished the game shooting 40 percent from the field and scored 23 points off of 15 Lancer turnovers.

 The Tigers will be back on the road to battle Doane College at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Crete, Neb.