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Trojans shock No. 5 Warner Pacific
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By NICK HUNTIMER, DSU Sports Information
| 03/08/2013 |
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POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. -- Dakota State University's Trojans played giant killer on Thursday night at the 2013 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Championship. The Trojans upset No. 5 seed Warner Pacific (Ore.) 89-80 in the highest-scoring game of the tournament in the first round.
The Trojans became the 10th unseeded team to punch a ticket into the Sweet Sixteen round.
DSU won its fourth straight game and its ninth in the last 11 games. The Trojans recorded their fourth victory against an NAIA Top 25 ranked team this season.
The first half was fast-paced, up- and-down basketball, which saw both teams shoot over 60 percent from the field. Warner Pacific led most of the way, although the largest lead was only seven points. DSU tied the game four times in the first half.
Warner Pacific held a slim 45-42 lead at intermission.
Early in the second half, DSU went on a 15-5 run to gain a 57-50 lead. The Trojans stretched the lead to 10 points on two different occasions.
Warner Pacific came storming back to deadlock the score at 76 with just over three minutes left in the game.
Both teams added two points as the score remained knotted at 78. The Trojans closed the game with an 11-2 run to gain the win.
DSU outscored the Knights 47-35 in the second half.
DSU shot a blistering 60 percent in the second half and 46.2 percent from 3-point range.
Warner Pacific was held to 37.8 percent from the field and 18.8 percent fro 3-point range.
DSU's John Lamb led all scorers with 26 points, 18 of which came in the second half. He made 8-of-15 field goals, including 6-for-13 from 3-point range, and converted all four free throws. Cameron Krump shot 8-for-9 from the field and made three free throws to earn 19 points off the bench.
Marcus Smith (6-for-8 from the field) and Luke Lamb (5-for-9 from the field) each added 14 points. Yusuf Vinson scored 10 points for DSU.
Vinson grabbed five rebounds for the Trojans. Tyrone Gordon Jr. dished out a season-high 10 assists and had four steals.
Stephen Harris scored 25 points for the Knights. Coletun Tarr added 14 counters and Doug Thomas had 10 points. Josh Black contributed 10 assists and four steals.
Warner Pacific out rebounded DSU 28-24.
DSU is the only team remaining from the members of the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) conference. Three other A.I.I. schools, Valley City, Jamestown and No. 15 seed Rochester, Mich., lost in the first round.
DSU (23-9), making its second straight national tournament appearance will continue postseason play on Friday (tonight) against unseeded Saint Thomas, Fla. (21-11). Tipoff is set for 9:15 p.m.
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©Madison Daily Leader 2013
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