SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Thanks to a 15-0 run to begin the second half, the Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team picked up its first win of the season with a 71-48 victory over Presentation College in the Sanford Pentagon NAIA Basketball Classic on Sunday in Sioux Falls, S.D.
It was a slow start for both teams as DWU led just 6-4 after five minutes of play. The Saints (1-3) tied the game at eight with 12 minutes to play in the first half. The Tigers (1-1) answered with a 15-2 run to hold a 23-10 lead after a pair of Bradley Dean (Pierre, S.D.) free throws.
After the Saints knocked down a 3-pointer to cut the DWU lead to single digits, Sawyer Schultz (Emery, S.D.) responded with a trey of his own to push the lead back to double-digits.
With a minute to play, Koln Oppold (Sioux Falls, S.D.) scored the final basket of the half to hand the Tigers a 30-18 lead.
The second half began with a cut to the basket by Jeffrey Schuch (Dell Rapids, S.D.) who made the easy layup. On the ensuing possession, Mason Larson (Langford, S.D.) scored on a fast-break layup to give DWU its largest lead of the game to the point, 34-18.
The Tigers continued to build on the lead after Oppold snagged a missed 3-pointer and put up a layup to keep the 9-0 run going to begin the second half.
DWU outscored the Saints 15-0 through the first six minutes of the half to hold a commanding 45-18 lead. However, PC knocked down a pair of free throws and a layup to put an end to the Tiger run.
With just under six minutes to play, Dean missed a 3-point attempt, but Ace Zorr (Harrisburg, S.D.) snatched the offensive rebound. Zorr found Tyus Arends (Sioux Center, Iowa) who sank his 3-pointer. The next time down the court, Zorr passed to Schultz who made his 3-point attempt as DWU picked up its first win of the season.
Oppold paced the Tigers with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. Schultz added 14 points on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while Dean chipped in 11 points and four rebounds.
DWU returns home for the first time this year to battle Briar Cliff University for a conference tilt at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Corn Palace.
