Stifling defense leads Tigers to GPAC title game

MITCHELL, S.D. – For the first time since 2010, the No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team will host the Great Plains Athletic Conference Championship game. DWU defeated in-state rival Mount Marty College, 86-62 in the GPAC Semifinals on Saturday in the Corn Palace.

 A layup by Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapids, S.D.) kicked off the scoring in the opening minutes of the game. A 3-pointer by MMC moments later handed them the early lead.

 With the score tied at nine, Koln Oppold (Sioux Falls, S.D.) found Mason Larson (Langford, S.D.) behind the arc for a 3-pointer to give the Tigers (23-8) the lead again.

 DWU continued a 9-2 run until they held an 18-11 lead. The Lancers (20-12) answered with an 11-2 run of their own to hold a 22-20 advantage.

 Both teams answered the other until the Tigers pulled out to a 38-30 lead with three minutes to play. With under a minute to play, Hoglund nailed another 3-pointer followed by a Jeffrey Schuch (Dell Rapids, S.D.) layup at the buzzer to take a 43-31 lead at halftime.

 A layup and free throw by Hoglund followed by a 3-pointer by Samuel McCloud (Rapid City, S.D.) kicked off the second-half scoring.

 Oppold added another 3-pointer to push the Tiger lead to 18 points with 15 minutes to play. The Lancers responded to pull within nine points with nine minutes to play, as the Tigers took a timeout.

 DWU quickly ballooned its' lead back to 16 points in two minutes. After neither team scored for two minutes, Larson put an end to the drought with a dunk to bring the Tiger crowd to its' feet.

 Less than a minute later, Hoglud alley-ooped Collin Kramer (Volga, S.D.) for a thunderous dunk to continue to extend the Tiger lead.

 Another minute later, Larson finished another play with a dunk to push the lead to 21 points and only three minutes to play. DWU made free throws down the stretch to seal a spot in the GPAC Championship game.

 Hoglund led all scorers with 33 points and seven rebounds, while Larson tallied 22 points, five rebounds and four blocks. DWU shot 54.7% from the field and outscored the Lancers 38-20 in the paint.

 The Tigers battle (RV) Concordia University in the GPAC title game at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Corn Palace.