VETERAN KOLN OPPOLD LEADS TIGER MEN’S BASKETBALL TO A MASSIVE WIN OVER NO. 5 JAMESTOWN ON THE ROAD
Jamestown, N.D. – Dakota Wesleyan men's basketball secured their first GPAC and top-25 win of the season after taking down No. 5 Jamestown. The Tigers led the Jimmies by six-points heading into halftime, before outscoring them 46-40 in the second half.
The Quick Details
Score:
DWU 80 - #5 UJ 68
Records:
DWU 2-2 (GPAC 1-1)
#5 UJ 3-1 (GPAC 0-1)
How It Happened
Dakota Wesleyan started slow from Harold Newman Arena Wednesday evening against No. 5 Jamestown, trailing by nine after four-minutes of play. Koln Oppold got the Tigers on the board 15:43 remaining in the first half. It wasn't until Samuel Aslesen and Kallan Herman entered the game that DWU gained some rhythm and began knocking down shots. The Tigers went on a 13-3 run closing the deficit to one point, 18-19, with eight and a half minutes remaining in the opening half. Blaze Lubbers knocked down back-to-back free throws, tying the game at 19-19, then giving DWU the one-point lead 20-19 with just over seven minutes to go. The lead changed a few more times right after that as UJ grabbed the lead on a pair of field goals in as many trips down the floor. Oppold got Dakota Wesleyan back in the lead by one point on a field goal with 5:39 remaining, before pushing the Tigers lead to three points on another field goal just 50-seconds later, 26-23. The remaining four minutes and 49-seconds, Oppold scored all but two points giving the Tigers a healthy 34-28 lead heading into the break.
DWU picked up in the second half where they left off with another small run of 7-2 giving the Tigers a 41-30 lead. As UJ hit back-to-back field goals, cutting the margin to 43-37, as Dakota Wesleyan called for a timeout. Alan Kikwaki made one of two free throws after the timeout to lead by five, but the Jimmies quickly cut that lead to only two points after a field goal and making one of two free throws with 14:42 remaining in the game that forced another timeout from the Tigers. Jamestown continued to keep the score close, before hitting a three pointer to trail by one as the Jimmies called for their first timeout of the second half with just over 12-minutes to play. DWU kept making shots after the short pause in play as Kikwaki and Jakob Dobney each hit a field goal, putting the Tigers up by five. As the halfway point neared, Oppold collected on a jump shot and a three-pointer giving DWU the eight-point lead with 9:35 left on the clock. Oppold hit another field goal one minute later giving Dakota Wesleyan a ten-point lead, 59-49 before the Jimmies connected on a jumper cutting the margin back to eight. The Jimmies sliced the margin down even more on a field goal, before the Tigers set it back to eight, 61-53 with seven and a half minutes to play. With only 4:33 left in the game, No. 5 Jamestown burnt a timeout as they trailed by seven. Once play resumed, the Jimmies hit another jump shot to trail by five, 68-63, but the Tigers closed the game out on a 12-5 run, securing the big upset win on the road 80-68 against No. 5 Jamestown.
Overall, the Tigers shot 54.4% from the floor as a team while hitting 47.1% of shots beyond the arc and 76.9% of their free throws. The Jimmies shot, 43.8% from the floor, 17.9% beyond the arc, and 63.6% at the foul line. UJ did out rebound DWU 33-32, while both teams suffered seven turnovers. Dakota Wesleyan scored 11 second chance points, 42 points in the paint, and received 18 points off the bench; compared to the seven Jamestown points off the bench.
Beyond the Results
- Koln Oppold: 30 points, 61.9 FG%, 2-for-2 beyond the arc, 2-for-4 free throw shooting, seven rounds, and six assists
- Jakob Dobney: 19 points, 50 FG%, 33.3 3-pt%, five rounds, and one steal
- Kallan Herman: 10 points, 100 FG%, 100 3-pt%, and 100 FT%
Up Next
Dakota Wesleyan men's basketball has two more tough games this week in Aberdeen, S.D. for the Small College Basketball Classic. The Inaugural SCBC will be played on the campus of Northern State University in the Barnett Center and Wachs Arena. The Tigers will tip off in the first of two games from Wachs Arena on Friday against No. 14 Indiana Wesleyan University at 4 p.m., then on Saturday, the Tigers will take on No. 16 Carroll College (Mont.) with tip-off set for 4 p.m. as well.