Tigers win thriller at Dordt for first time since 2007

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Scoring was not hard to come by for the No. 25 Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team as the Tigers cruised to a 118-111 Great Plains Athletic Conference overtime win at Dordt College Wednesday night in Sioux Center, Iowa.

 Three different Tigers had career nights in the opener as junior forward Jason Spicer (Sioux Falls, S.D.) led with 29 points, freshman guard Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapids, S.D.) tallied 25 points and freshman guard Nate Davis (Watertown, S.D.) added 24 points.

 Both teams found their grooves offensively early on, but could not pull away. The lead switched hands in the first half five-times, and the largest lead either team held was seven points by the Tigers. Spicer had the hot-hand early on as he ended the first half with 20 points as DWU took the lead into halftime, 45-40.

 The Tigers came out determined to hold onto their lead in the second-half as they continued their hot shooting. DWU held the lead until they saw it vanish around the eight minute mark as Dordt went up, 75-72. The Defenders would hold onto the lead until Spicer hit a clutch three-point shot to tie the game at 97 with four seconds remaining. The shot proved to be enough to send the game into overtime.

 The Tigers never looked back as they scored 21 points in the overtime period, and held on to win their first GPAC game of the 2016-17 season. DWU finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the arc and 82 percent from the free-throw line. The Tigers outrebounded Dordt 52-40.

 Senior guard Tate Martin (Mitchell, S.D.) had a double-double with 15 points and 15 assists while freshman forward Collin Kramer (Volga, S.D.) also finished with a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Junior Trae Vandeberg (Madison, S.D.) added 13 points and five rebounds.

 The Tigers welcome No. 21 Midland University for a GPAC showdown at 8 p.m. at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.