Sagan Osborne – Dickinson State Sports and Marketing Information Director
Valley City, N.D. – Dickinson State dropped a heart-breaker on Saturday in a 66-65 road loss to Valley City State. The Blue Hawks controlled the game early, building a 40-27 halftime lead before struggling offensively in the second half.
John Evans led Dickinson State with 23 points, knocking down three three-pointers and converting all eight of his free-throw attempts. Kose Egbule added 11 points and six rebounds, while Trey Stevens chipped in 10 points, including six free throws. The Blue Hawks shot 44.9% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 5 of 18 three-point attempts.
Defensive pressure fueled Dickinson State's strong first half. The Blue Hawks held Valley City State to 39.3% shooting and forced nine turnovers before the break. Dickinson State capitalized on those mistakes, turning them into 17 points while outscoring the Vikings 36-24 in the paint.
Valley City State (12-12, 3-9 NSAA) responded with a dominant second half, shooting 65.4% from the floor and holding Dickinson State to just 30.4% shooting. Lamar Grayson led the Vikings with 20 points, while Tyrel Creger added 11 points and six assists. The Vikings finished with a 33-23 rebounding edge, including an 8-3 advantage on the offensive glass.
Dickinson State (14-10, 9-3 NSAA) maintained a lead for most of the second half despite its shooting struggles. A basket by Egbule with 3:27 remaining pushed the lead to 61-57, but the Vikings answered with a 9-4 run to close the game. Grayson scored the go-ahead layup with six seconds left, and Dickinson State's final shot attempt missed the mark.