Sagan Osborne – Dickinson State Sports & Marketing Information Director

Bellevue, Neb. – Dickinson State suffered their first conference defeat in a tightly contested matchup against Bellevue at the Lozier Athletic Center, falling 74-72 in overtime. The Blue Hawks dropped to 12-8 overall and 7-1 in North Star Athletic Association play despite a strong effort on both ends of the floor.

The game was competitive from start to finish, with 15 ties and 12 lead changes. Dickinson State shot 42.4% from the field, including 38.5% from beyond the arc. However, missed opportunities at the free-throw line, where the Blue Hawks converted just 52.2% (12 of 23), proved costly in a game decided by two points.

Cordell Stinson led Dickinson State on the boards, grabbing 12 rebounds while adding nine points. Trey Stevens contributed 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including two three-pointers, while Aidan Fishell came off the bench to score 13 points in 13 minutes. The Blue Hawks' bench provided solid contributions, accounting for 29 of the team's points.

Defensively, Dickinson State forced 13 turnovers while limiting Bellevue to 6-of-17 shooting from three-point range (35.3%). Despite their efforts, the Bruins capitalized on their inside presence, outscoring Dickinson State 40-26 in the paint and securing a decisive 44-31 advantage on the boards.

Trailing 30-26 at halftime, the Blue Hawks clawed back in the second half behind an improved offensive rhythm, shooting 50% from the field. Stevens and Stinson hit timely shots to keep the game within reach, and a three-pointer by Gus Wright in overtime briefly gave Dickinson State a 66-65 lead.

Key moments down the stretch included Stinson's three-pointer with 3:37 left in overtime, giving the Blue Hawks a 69-66 edge. However, Bellevue responded with a layup and free throws to regain the lead. Christian Carter's late layup with seven seconds left sealed the win for Bellevue, as the Blue Hawks' final three-point attempt missed the mark.