TIGERS WIN IN OVERTIME THRILLER AGAINST THE CHARGERS AT HOME
Mitchell, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan men's basketball battled late in the second half of Thursday night's game scoring 42 points and forcing overtime to start the new year and second half of the schedule on a high note.
The Quick Details
Score:
DWU 78 – BCU 76 OT
Records:
DWU 8-7 (GPAC 4-3)
BCU 8-7 (GPAC 2-6)
How It Happened
Diang Gatluak got the Tigers on the board after two-minutes of scoreless play to open the game. While DWU was sporadic in scoring through the first 10-minutes of play, they were able to keep it close as the Chargers were also unable to find consistent scoring right away. After 10-minutes were off the clock, the Tigers trailed the Chargers 13-12. Briar Cliff grabbed their largest lead of the first half with just over two minutes to play at 28-20, before DWU was able to cut the margin to six as they headed to the locker rooms for halftime, 30-24. The Tigers were in a tough position all first half but kept it manageable as Kallan Herman went 2-of-6 from the floor, and 1-of-3 beyond the arc. After just 20-minutes of play, DWU was shooting 29.2% from the field, 30% beyond the arc, and 87.5% at the foul line as a team.
Blaze Lubbers and Herman got the Tigers going in the second half as they both hit three-point shots closing the margin to four points, 34-30 with 17:47 to play. Herman set Dakota Wesleyan in a good position with under 14-minutes to play, as he collected on yet another shot from beyond the arc keeping the margin at four points, 42-38. After over two-minutes of scoreless play, the Tigers closed the deficit just a little bit more as Alan Kikwaki made a tough layup putting DWU within two points of tying the game, 42-40. Herman made a layup on the Tigers next trip up the floor and earning the chance to cut the margin to one point, which he did after making his and-one shot putting the Tigers at 44-43 against the Chargers with 11:49 to play in regulation. A quick turnover by the Chargers after that opened the door for DWU to grab their first lead of the game, coming from the hands of D'Andre Dennis on a layup for the one-point lead at 45-44. BCU grabbed the lead back right away as head coach Matt Wilber called for a full timeout with just under 10:30 left to play. After the timeout and a play drawn up, Herman connected with an open Jakob Dobney who sunk the shot beyond the arc for the 48-46 lead. Briar Cliff and Dakota Wesleyan went basket for basket down the stretch, until a few missed shots from the Tigers allowed the Chargers to climb out to a three-point lead at 56-53 with five and a half minutes to go in regulation. Counting down the final two minutes, and the Tigers trailing 63-60; the Chargers went back ahead by four in under two minutes, 66-62. Dobney made a layup with 37-seconds left climbing back within two points, 66-64 as DWU called timeout. Dobney did it once more with two seconds to play in regulation after the timeout tying the game at 66-66. Briar Cliff turned the ball over on the inbounds throw as it hit the center hung scoreboard giving the Tigers a chance to win the game with one last shot in regulation, but it didn't' fall.
Overtime and free basketball to start the new year, the Tigers started it off hot getting a 72-68 lead right away as Koln Oppold made a pair of layups and Gatluak made a layup. DWU continued to play well in overtime as Dennis was fouled with 39-seconds to play, converting on both shots to lead BCU 74-70. Gatluak made one-of-two free throws after he was fouled with 30-seconds to play pushing the Tigers lead out to five points, 75-70. Briar Cliff made a three-point shot with 25-seconds left cutting their deficit to two points, but DWU was able to make their bonus shots down the stretch and secure the 78-76 overtime win at home.
Overall, Dakota Wesleyan shot 47.3% from the floor, 34.8% beyond the arc, and 78.3% at the foul line, while holding Briar Cliff to shooting 44.9% from the field, 20.8% from distance and 69.2% at the free throw line. The Tigers outrebounded the Chargers 38-31. The overtime game posted eight ties and seven lead changes as the Tigers grabbed their largest lead of the game of five with 30-seconds to play in overtime.
Beyond the Results
• Kallan Herman: 23 points, 50 FG%, 42.8 3-pt%, and 85.7 FT%
• Koln Oppold: 12 points, 66.6 FG%, six rebounds, and five assists
• Jakob Dobney: 12 points, 40 3-pt%, 66.6 FT%, and four assists
• Diang Gatluak: 15 rebounds and 31 minutes played
Up Next
The Tigers are back on the road this weekend for more conference action as they head to Seward, Nebraska. The Tigers will square off with the receiving votes team of Concordia University on Saturday, January 7th in a 3:45 p.m. tip-off.