Hot shooting propels No. 18 Tigers past Bulldogs

 MITCHELL, S.D. – For the third time this season, the No. 18 Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team reached the century mark in their Great Plains Athletic Conference victory over Concordia University 105-56 Saturday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell.

 The Bulldogs (7-7, 1-7 GPAC) recorded the first basket 20 seconds into the ballgame. But, the Tigers (10-3, 6-3 GPAC) answered quickly with a layup from Samuel McCloud (Rapid City, S.D.) that sparked a 10-0 run from DWU. The Tigers were in front 10-2 with 15 minutes to play in the first half.

 Concordia climbed back into the game with a 3-pointer to cut the Tiger lead to six points. DWU extended its' lead with a 10-4 run highlighted by a McCloud 3-pointer as the Tigers lead 28-16 with seven minutes remaining in the first half.

 The Bulldogs once again tried to get themselves within striking distance right before the half as they completed a four-point play with 25 seconds to go in the first half. With six seconds remaining, Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapids, S.D.) nailed a fade-away jumper to grab the momentum right before half as the Tigers led at the break, 46-30.

 DWU continued to pull away as they came out of the locker room with Hoglund drilling a 3-point basket out of the gate to get the Tigers on the board in the second half.

 As Concordia nailed two free throws, it was the Tigers that went on a 19-4 run in the middle of the second half headlined by three straight 3-pointers from Hoglund, Tristian Teichmeier (Sioux Falls, S.D.) and Collin Kramer (Volga, S.D.) as DWU led 76-44 with just under nine minutes to play in the game.

 The Tigers closed out the game on a 25-6 run as the 3-point baskets kept falling for DWU on their way to a 105-56 victory at the Corn Palace.

 Hoglund led all scorers shooting 11-of-17 from the field and 4-of-8 from downtown as he finished with 29 points. Nick Harden (Chicago, Ill.) gave the Tigers a spark offensively and defensively scoring 16 points, dishing out nine assists and collecting seven steals. McCloud nailed four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points while Koln Oppold (Sioux Falls, S.D.) tallied 11 points off the bench for DWU.

 The Tigers will participate in the Trip Sports Las Vegas Hoopla and will battle Cal Miramar at 6 p.m. CST on Wednesday in Las Vegas, Nev.