Sagan Osborne – Dickinson State Sports & Marketing Information Director
Valley City, N.D. - Dickinson State secured a dominant 72-51 victory over Valley City State on Saturday evening at Valley City to run their conference road winning streak to three games. The Blue Hawks used efficient shooting, strong rebounding, and a stifling defense to improve to 7-6 overall and 3-0 in conference play.
"I was really impressed with our effort and focus on a short turnaround," said head coach Derek Selvig. "Our guys understand what all these conference games mean and they bring it every night. This was an example of a complete team win. We are excited to get back home for the next few games."
The Blue Hawks started strong, taking a 38-35 lead into halftime after a quick 5-0 run by Trey Stevens to close the half. Dickinson State shot 48.3% from the field in the opening half, including 6-for-13 from beyond the arc. John Evans and Jake Daniels combined for five three-pointers, with Evans tallying 10 of his 12 points in the first 20 minutes. Defensively, the Blue Hawks limited the Vikings to just two three-pointers on six attempts in the half.
In the second half, Dickinson State tightened their defensive grip, holding Valley City State to just 16 points on 26.9% shooting, including holding them scoreless for over five minutes to start the frame. The Vikings struggled to generate offense as Dickinson State forced 17 turnovers overall, converting them into 12 points. Kose Egbule anchored the Blue Hawks' defensive effort with 13 rebounds, including five on the offensive end, and added six points.
The Blue Hawks controlled the paint throughout the game, outscoring the Vikings 36-10 in the paint and outrebounding them 36-28. Dickinson State also showcased their depth, with the bench contributing 25 points, highlighted by Cordell Stinson's nine points and three rebounds in 20 minutes of action. Weston Zacher provided an additional spark, scoring nine points on 4-for-6 shooting.
Jake Daniels provided valuable minutes for Dickinson State with 11 points, hitting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Evans added 12 points and six rebounds, while Trey Stevens chipped in 10 points and five rebounds. Bradyn Palmer contributed eight points, including key baskets in the second half that extended the lead to double digits.
Valley City State was led by Lamar Grayson, who scored a game-high 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Jerome Washington added nine points off the bench for the Vikings, but the team struggled offensively, finishing the game shooting 41.5% from the field and just 16.7% from three-point range.
Dickinson State's efficiency at the free-throw line proved crucial, as they converted 11 of 12 attempts, compared to the Vikings' 5 of 7.