Trojans Defeat V-Hawks on the Road

The Dakota State men’s basketball team was able to beat Viterbo University on their own floor this weekend. They lost to the V-Hawks the weekend before in Madison, but after beating Presentation on Tuesday, the Trojans looked to carry that momentum into the game and come out with a win. It wasn’t always pretty, but the Trojans were able to finish the game and take the win from the V-Hawks with a score of 55-54.

Sophomore Carson Rentz would score 15 points this game. Photo by Karen Giles.

The Trojans found themselves quickly down to start the game against Viterbo. The V-Hawks took an early lead and the Trojans were down 19-7 with nine minutes to go in the game. The Trojans struggled offensively until they were jump-started by Carson Rentz’s hot shooting—he hit two 3-pointers to get the team rolling. Josh McGreal was also able to hit a three along, and with a basket by Sawyer Koch, the Trojans were down by only one point with the score at 21-20 with five minutes to go in the half. By halftime, the Trojans were right there trailing 27-25.

The Trojans were ready to play in the second half. They got up 11 points with just under seven minutes left to go. It looked like it would be all Dakota State to finish the game, but Viterbo made a late-game run in front of their home crowd. They had a 13-2 scoring run to retake the lead 55-54 with just 35 seconds left to play. After a missed basket by the Trojans, the V-Hawks had a chance to extend their lead with a pair of free throws. However, they missed both free throws and the Trojans had another shot to retake the lead. McGreal hit a baseline jump shot with only five seconds left giving the Trojans a 55-54 lead. The V-Hawks were unable to bounce back, and the Trojans would take the game with a final score of 55-54.

Sophomore Josh McGreal would make a baseline shot with only five seconds left, securing the game for the Trojans. Photo by Karen Giles.

It was a good win for the Trojans who continue to fight injuries. They were without Anthony Costello after he injured himself in their previous contest, and it looks like he may be out for the rest of the season. He was averaging 14 points and 7.2 rebounds a game for the Trojans. Carson Rentz led Dakota State with 15 points after shooting 5-of-11 from the three-point line. Josh McGreal had 12 points and 6 rebounds, Gare Ewefada had 9 points, and Brady Van Holland had 8. The Trojans will look for other players to step up in his absence as they look to finish the season out strong. As always, good luck and go Trojans!