MITCHELL, S.D. – It was a night to remember as Ty Hoglund (Dell Rapids, S.D.) moved into third on the Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball all-time scoring list with 2,171 career points, while Matt Wilber recorded his 148th win as head coach, putting him third all time among DWU men's basketball coaches. Meanwhile, No. 6 DWU pulled away from (RV) Briar Cliff University, 88-73 in Great Plains Athletic Conference action Monday night at the Corn Palace in Mitchell.
It was the DWU defense that showed up early as the Tigers (6-0, 4-0 GPAC) held BCU off the scoreboard for almost the first three minutes of the game. After the Chargers (7-3, 1-3 GPAC) scored, Nick Harden (Chicago, Ill.) drove to the basket and made a layup.
After nearly seven minutes of play, the Chargers took their first lead of the game following a Jackson Lamb 3-point basket. The teams traded baskets as Samuel McCloud (Rapid City, S.D.) returned the lead back to DWU after a 3-pointer midway through the first half.
BCU went on a quick 9-2 run to hold a 27-21 advantage as they took a timeout with 7:18 to play in the half. But DWU responded as Hoglund nailed a 3-point shot coming out of the timeout to cut the deficit in half. Hoglund made a layup, followed by a pair of free throws on DWU's next possession to give the Tigers the lead again.
Hoglund and Collin Kramer (Volga, S.D.) hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give DWU a four-point lead. But the Chargers answered with an 8-0 run to take a 38-34 lead. The Tigers answered again, this time with a Kramer 3-point basket, followed by four Hoglund free throws to give DWU a three-point lead at intermission.
The Tigers jumped out with a 6-0 run in the second half as McCloud and Tyson Smiley (Omaha, Neb.) converted on baskets to give DWU a quick nine-point lead.
The defense continued to hold as they kept the Chargers off the scoreboard until the 16:45 mark of the second half. The Tigers tried to hold BCU at bay throughout the half, but the Chargers pulled within five points midway through the half.
Later in the half following a pair of Hoglund free throws that put DWU up by 12 points, the Chargers slowly cut the DWU lead down to five points again after a Lamb 3-point basket.
However, Harden and Hoglund took over as each converted a layup on the next two possessions. Coming out of a timeout with a minute to play, Hoglund buried a shot from beyond the arc that pushed the Tiger advantage back to double digits. DWU made its' free throws down the stretch to pull away from BCU in the closing moments.
Hoglund recorded a game-high 36 points, while Harden added 22 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Kramer notched eight points and 12 rebounds and Smiley finished with 15 points. The Tigers shot 53.4% from the field and finished with 44 points in the paint to 30 by BCU. DWU outrebounded the Chargers, 36-27 and finished with 12 assists on the night.
The Tigers battle Lincoln College in the St. Francis Thanksgiving Classic at 8 p.m. Saturday in Joliet, Ill.
