Sagan Osborne | Dickinson State Sports Information Director
FOREST CITY, IOWA – Dickinson State shot 54 percent from the field, and 50 percent from three, but a late lead couldn't hold up as Waldorf University came away with a 92-89 overtime victory on Saturday evening.
Playing without starting point guard Kose Egbule, who was injured on the last play of the game Friday, the Blue Hawks got an efficient 7 points on 3-4 shooting from Freshman Jake Daniel in his first start of the year, but a dominant effort down low by Waldorf's Tyree'on Johnson (22 points, 19 rebounds) proved too much to overcome as the Warriors rallied late to force overtime and ultimately win the game.
The first half saw the Blue Hawks fall into a hole for the second straight night, this time 9-2, as the Warriors had an answer to any Blue Hawk run and went into the half time break up 40-35. Gus Wright had seven first half points and Trey Hladky chipped in 6 on 2-2 three point shooting, but the hosts from Forest City, Iowa shot a scorching 18-35 (56 percent) from the field to hold the half time advantage.
Waldorf hung on to its lead for nearly seven minutes in the second half, but a Cordell Stinson triple gave DSU its first lead since 2-0 with 13:11 left, 52-51. A 14-0 Blue Hawk run put Dickinson State up 59-51 with 11:30 left in the game, and another Stinson basket with 4:39 left gave the Blue Hawks their largest lead of the game, 73-61.
A Christian Murphy layup with 1:36 left put the Blue Hawks up by eight, but back-to-back threes by the Warriors got WU within two with less than a minute to play. A Tyce Dahlberg traditional three point play gave DSU a five point lead with 41 seconds to play, but a Waldorf three-pointer, a DSU turnover and a WU lay up knotted the game at 83-83 and sent it to overtime when John Evans desperation three at the buzzer came up short.
The Warriors started the overtime period with a 5-0 run but the Blue Hawks fought back to get within one, 89-88 with 41 seconds to play on a pair of Evans free throws. After a missed free throw gave DSU a chance to take the lead, Jake Daniel's three just went off the back iron forcing the Blue Hawks to foul again. This time the Warriors knocked down both free throws and a Jaiden Wright three at the buzzer wouldn't fall handing Dickinson State their second heartbreaking loss in a row.
WHATS NEXT
The Blue Hawks will return home to host conference powerhouses Dakota State and Bellevue on February 10-11 in Scott Gym in games that will likely have a large impact on where the Blue Hawks ultimately finish in the North Star Athletic Association standings.
