Pair of big runs down Blue Hawk men against #6 Montana Tech

Dillon, Mont. – Dickinson State held a 31-29 advantage at the half after erasing a 14-1 deficit, but a 17-0 run by #6 Montana Tech in the second half was too much to overcome, as the Blue Hawks dropped their first game at the Montana Western Classic.

Kose Egbule and Gus Wright each scored 13 points to lead the Blue Hawks, but Dickinson State shot just 29 percent (17-59) from the field and were outrebounded 43-36.

Both teams took care of the ball, with each squad only coughing it up nine times, but the nationally ranked Orediggers shot 43 percent (23-53) from the field to secure the win.

John Evans scored 10 points for Dickinson State as he approaches the 1,000 point mark in his career, but was an uncharacteristic 3-12 from the floor.

After Montana Tech raced out to a 14-1 lead to start the game, the Blue Hawks appeared to find their rhythm. They stormed back to make it 17-16 on a Wright free throw, and tied the game at 18-18 on a lay up from Cordell Stinson. After MTU regained the lead with a three pointer, Stinson answered right back with a triple of his own and Egbule gave DSU their first lead, 25-23, two possessions late. Dickinson State stretched their lead to a game-high five points at 29-24 with three minutes left in the half, and closed the opening stanza with a two point edge.

The lead held until there were 13 minutes left in the game and DSU held a 41-39 advantage, but he 17-0 MTU run followed and the Orediggers never trailed again.

"Our guys battled hard," said head coach Derek Selvig. "Two stretches in the game we gave up two massive runs, and if we could have found a way to shorten those it would have been a different ballgame. Credit to Montana Tech, they are one of the best teams in the country, but I think we proved to ourselves we can compete at a very high level."