Sagan Osborne – Dickinson State Sports & Marketing Information Director
Dickinson, N.D. – Dickinson State secured a hard-fought 73-66 victory over Montana State-Northern Saturday at Scott Gymnasium to conclude the 2024 Coca-Cola Sam Milanovich Classic. The Blue Hawks used a balanced scoring attack and strong second-half play to hold off a late push from the visiting Skylights.
"I was proud of our effort tonight, bouncing back from a tough loss last night," said head coach Derek Selvig. "We still haven't reached our potential offensively, but it's coming, and our guys are bought in. We have a great group of guys that bring it every night."
The game started with Dickinson State taking control early, building a 36-27 lead by halftime. Trey Stevens led the charge for the Blue Hawks, scoring a game-high 22 points, including four three-pointers. His consistent shooting helped Dickinson State establish an offensive rhythm against a tough Montana State-Northern defense.
Aidan Fishell provided a key spark off the bench, finishing with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-for-5 from the free-throw line. John Evens contributed 11 points and four assists. Kose Egbule added 10 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Bradyn Palmer chipped in eight points and four boards.
Montana State-Northern made a strong push in the second half, led by Cinque Maxwell and Anthony Mendez. Maxwell scored 13 points, while Mendez hit all four of his three-point attempts, contributing 14 points. The Skylights shot an impressive 65.4% from the field in the second half but were unable to overcome Dickinson State's early advantage.
The Blue Hawks maintained their composure down the stretch, responding to the Skylights' runs with timely scoring and defensive stops. Dickinson State's ability to convert on second-chance opportunities and force turnovers proved crucial, as they outscored Montana State-Northern 12-4 in second-chance points and committed only six turnovers to the Skylights' 10.
Dickinson State shot 45.9% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc, with seven players contributing to the scoring column. The Blue Hawks also controlled the boards, outrebounding Montana State-Northern 34-31.