Sioux Center, Iowa — The Dordt University men’s basketball team overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat Dakota State 77-76 in a non-conference game played Tuesday night at the De Witt Gymnasium.
The Defenders win their fourth straight game and improve to 4-1; Dakota State falls to 1-4.
Bryce Coppock netted a game-high 18 points, one of four Dordt players to score in double figures. Camden Bialas came off the bench to score a career-best 14 points to go with seven rebounds. Cade Bleeker (13pts) and Luke Rankin (11pts) were also in double figures.
Trailing 39-28 coming out at halftime, Dordt began the second half with a 22-9 run and grabbed its first lead (50-48) after a three-pointer by Bleeker and floater by Bialas. The game was tied seven times over the next seven minutes until a Trey Hinote lay-up put Dordt in front for good, 66-64 at the five minute mark.
Coppock hit a deep three-pointer moments later to put the Defenders up 71-64 but Dakota State came back with six consecutive points to make the score 71-70 with 19 seconds left. Luke Rankin and Coppock combined to make six consecutive free throws to ice the game.
Dordt shot 64% in the second half, 52% for the game, and were effective at the free throw line (22/28). Bialas pulled down seven rebounds and Rankin dished out six assists.
Maxwell Nielsen led Dakota State with 14 points, scoring 12 from beyond the arc. Both Ronnie Latting and Berto Gittens added 11 points for the Trojans, who shot 48% from the field.
NEXT UP
Dordt will play two games at the Northwestern Classic on Nov.12-13 in Orange City, Iowa. The Defenders will play Bellevue (Neb.) at 4pm on Friday followed by a 2pm game against Viterbo (Wis.) on Saturday, Nov.13.
