Hoglund Shines as Tigers Route Hastings in GPAC Action

HASTINGS, Neb. – After recording the first eight points for the No. 10 Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team, freshman Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapids, S.D.) went on to have a career night as the Tigers held on for an 89-87 Great Plains Athletic Conference victory Saturday in Hastings, Neb.

  Hoglund gave the Tigers an 8-6 advantage after setting the tone by knocking down a jump shot and two 3-pointer's early in the contest. Hastings (6-7, 3-3 GPAC) eventually took its first lead of the game with 10:47 to play in the first half. But, another Hoglund 3-pointer and a jumper from Trae Vanderberg (Madison, S.D.) put DWU in the driver's seat. With under two minutes to play in the half, Hastings sank back-to-back shots to take 38-31 lead heading into the locker room.

 Most of the second half was controlled by the Broncos until the 5:16 mark when Jason Spicer (Sioux Falls, S.D.) regained the lead for DWU after connecting on a pair of free throws. In the last three minutes the Tigers missed just one shot and ultimately control of the game when Tate Martin (Mitchell, S.D.) drained a 3-pointer, giving DWU an 84-79 lead with 51 seconds remaining in the contest. Vanderberg eventually followed with a jumper and Hoglund added a pair of made free throws to secure the win for DWU.

 Four Tigers tallied double-digit scoring, led by Hoglund with a career-high 27 points. The freshman was 6-of-10 from beyond the arc and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. Spicer pitched in a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Vandeberg added another double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Martin finished with 12 points and six assists, while DWU shot 48 percent from the field and 90 percent from the free-throw line.

 The Tigers (10-3, 6-1 GPAC) host future GPAC member the University of Jamestown at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.