Tigers fall in GPAC Championship game

MITCHELL, S.D. – With four seconds left on the clock, Samuel McCloud (Rapid City, S.D.) tipped the inbounds pass to Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapids, S.D.), who heaved a 3-pointer at the buzzer, only to have the ball hit the backboard and bounce off the rim. It was the final play of the Great Plains Athletic Conference championship game that ended with (RV) Concordia University defeating the No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team, 68-66 Tuesday in the Corn Palace.

 Through the opening three minutes of play, the Bulldogs (24-9) were hot shooting from the floor as they held an early 11-4 lead, as DWU took a timeout.

 After CUNE took a 15-6 lead, Hoglund made back-to-back layups to pull DWU within five points as he scored eight of the first 10 points for the Tigers (23-9).

 The Bulldogs continued to keep the hot shooting going throughout the first half as they shot over 64% from the field to hold a 23-14 lead with 12:30 left in the half.

 As the clock ticked down to nine minutes remaining in the half, the Bulldogs made consecutive 3-pointers to push their lead to 17 points. However, Koln Oppold (Sioux Falls, S.D.) buried a corner 3-pointer of his own to end the CUNE run.

 Moments later, Hoglund made another 3-pointer to keep the Tigers within 13 points. A few possessions later, Hoglund found Mason Larson (Langford, S.D.) cutting to the basket as he flushed the ball away with a two-handed slam, bringing the Corn Palace crowd to its' feet.

 After a Hoglund layup and-one pulled the Tigers within 10 points, the Bulldogs scored the final five points of the half to take a 42-27 lead into the locker rooms at halftime.

 After five minutes of play into the second half, a pair of Jeffrey Schuch (Dell Rapids, S.D.) free throws cut the Tiger deficit to single digits. The Tigers continued to go on an 11-2 run, capped off by a Hoglund 3-pointer to bring DWU within two points.

 With just under seven minutes to play, an Oppold layup kept the Tigers within a point. However, consecutive 3-pointers by the Bulldogs pushed their lead back to seven points.

 The Bulldogs held off the Tigers until the final 10 seconds when Schuch made a layup to pull DWU within a point. Following a pair of CUNE made free throws, the Bulldogs were able to hold on for the victory in the final seconds.

 Hoglund finished with 27 points and four rebounds, as Larson tallied 16 points and four rebounds. Collin Kramer (Volga, S.D.) notched four points and 10 rebounds, while Oppold added 11 points and four rebounds. The Tigers shot 37.7% from the field and outscored the Bulldogs 36-26 in the paint.

 The NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament selection show begins at 5 p.m. tomorrow where DWU awaits their seeding at the national tournament.