Mitchell, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan men's basketball hung with the 11th ranked Jimmies of Jamestown in the first half, only trailing by three after the first 20-minutes of play behind shooting 47.1% beyond the arc. The second half was a different story as the Tigers cooled down from distance going 4-of-13; while UJ heated up going 5-of-7.
The Quick Details
Score:
DWU 71 – No. 11 UJ 84
Records:
DWU 12-12 (GPAC 8-8)
No. 11 UJ 21-3 (GPAC 13-3)
How It Happened
Dakota Wesleyan got the jump on the University of Jamestown early in the game leading by four points, 6-2 just a mere 90-seconds in. Diang Gatluak put The Corn Palace on their feet shortly after with a dunk setting the Tigers head by four points and starting a 5-0 run that pushed the DWU lead to 11-4. After an exchange of three-point shots, DWU continued to hold their seven-point lead. UJ began closing the margin near the midway point of the first half, cutting it to a single point 18-17 Tigers lead. The Jimmies tied the game at 21-21 with nine minutes to play, but they had yet to secure their first lead of the half. Proceeding back-to-back three-point shots from Gatluak and Blaze Lubbers pushing the lead back to six points, Jamestown burnt a full timeout to regroup. DWU trailed for the first time in the half with six-minutes to play, after UJ hit a shot from deep, giving them a two-point lead that quickly unraveled into a nine-point lead over the Tigers as head coach Matt Wilber called for a timeout with 4:19 let to play in the first half. Once play resumed after the DWU timeout, Samuel Aslesen hit a three-point shot, cutting the margin back to six points. With the final minute of the first half neared, Gatluak scored on a layup, dropping the deficit at six-points, but a quick turnover from the Jimmies and Aslesen steal, Gatluak was able to hit the final shot of the half from beyond the arc putting DWU behind by three heading into the locker room for halftime.
The University of Jamestown came out in the second half, putting on a 7-0 run right away and pushing their lead out to 10-points, 47-37, before Koln Oppold made a layup on the Tigers next trip up the floor. Dakota Wesleyan quickly found themselves trailing by 11 after just seven-minutes of play; but a three-minute cold spell from the Tigers put them behind more as they trailed by 19 with 9:55 to play in the game. Once DWU broke the scoreless streak, they slowly began to close the margin as they trailed 69-59 with five-minutes to play, then 72-64 with just under three and a half minutes to play. With 2:15 to play in the game and UJ ahead by ten points, 76-66, they called for a short 30-second timeout. That was followed by DWU scoring four points to the Jimmies two points now trailing by only eight points with 90-seconds to play. The free throw from Dobney was the last time the ball went through the hoop for the Tigers as they finished the remainder of the game off the mark.
Both teams were near equal on rebounds, but DWU was outrebounded 28-27 as UJ and the Tigers each dished out 17 assists. Dakota Wesleyan shot 47.3% from the floor and 40% beyond the arc in the game, hitting 7-of-9 free throw attempts. Jamestown was over 50% from the floor and beyond the arc hitting 11-of-12 foul shots. DWU forced six UJ turnovers scoring only five points off those turnovers, compared to the 11 Tiger turnovers and 17 points the Jimmies scored off them. DWU recorded 12 second chance points, 26 points in the paint, and 15 points off the bench. Lubbers also tallied his fifth double-double of the season with his 15 point and team high 11 rebound night.
Beyond the Results
- Diang Gatluak: 19 points, 53.8 FG%, 62.5 3-pt%, and three assists
- Blaze Lubbers: 15 points, 55.5 FG%, 40 3-pt%, 100 FT%, and 11 rebounds
- Jakob Dobney: 15 points, 50 FG%, 100 FT%, and one steal
Up Next
Dakota Wesleyan men's basketball will get a much-needed week off after playing four games in seven days. The Tigers will be back in action at home on Wednesday, February 8th when they host Northwestern. DWU and NWC are set to tip-off at 7:45 p.m. form the Corn Palace.
