Trojans Too Much for V-Hawks in Madison

MADISON, S.D. – The Viterbo University Men's Basketball team fell to Dakota State University (S.D.) in a North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) battle on Saturday night. The V-Hawks drop to 12-10 (6-3 NSAA), while the Trojans improve to 10-13 (4-5 NSAA).

Ben Olson would score the first basket for the V-Hawks, but an and-one from Sam Muller gave Dakota State a 2-9 lead at 15:53. Jack Monis followed that with five straight points, before the Trojans took a 21-7 lead. Luke Spink set up Cole Curbel's three to break the run, starting a 9-0 run that included a Colin Adams and-one. Olson set up Robert Cunitz for a jumper, and a steal led to free throws to leave the score at 30-40 going into halftime.

Dakota Mannel set up Olson for two field goals to start the second, one of them an one-one. Monis' four straight points helped close the gap to only six points, 51-57, at 10:16, and Cunitz found Olson to make that five at 8:23. Cunitz and Mannel contributed nine points for Viterbo and Olson's free throws made it a one possession game with under a minute. However, Viterbo was forced to foul and Dakota State claimed a 76-80 run.

Dakota State narrowly outshot Viterbo from the field (45%-19%) and from three (38%-35.5%). They also force more turnovers than the V-Hawks (11-16), but collected less rebounds (40-33).

Olson led the V-Hawks with a near double-double of 24 points and nine rebounds, Cunitz added 16 points and eight boards, and Monis had 13 points. Muller had a game-high 25 points, while Ronnie Lattinghad 13 pints and nine rebounds for the Trojans.

Viterbo returns to the hardwood at home on February 3 against Dickinson State.