BILLINGS, Mont. — Dickinson State earned a key Frontier Conference road victory Friday night, defeating Rocky Mountain College 66-56 at the Fortin Education Center.
The Blue Hawks improved to 5-7 overall and 3-3 in league play, snapping Rocky's four-game win streak and handing the Battlin' Bears their second conference loss of the season.
Griffyn Doughty and Cordell Stinson led the way for Dickinson State with 20 points apiece. Doughty went 5-for-10 from the field, 3-for-6 from three-point range, and 7-for-8 at the line while collecting four steals. Stinson added nine rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, shooting 7-of-12 overall and 4-of-5 from the free throw line.
"Incredible effort by our team tonight," said head coach Derek Selvig. "We knew it was going to be a gritty and physical game and our guys accepted the challenge. Very proud of this group."
The Blue Hawks took a 31-28 lead into halftime and maintained control in the second half, outscoring the Bears 35-28. DSU shot 45.7% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc, and 88.2% at the free throw line. The Blue Hawks forced 15 turnovers and posted nine steals on the night.
Jake Daniel scored all eight of his points in the second half, knocking down a pair of threes to help DSU extend its lead. Nate Visentin contributed 11 points and five rebounds off the bench, and Britton Cranston added five points and three rebounds in 28 minutes. Isaiah Vargas recorded two points, two assists and one block in 13 minutes of action.
Rocky Mountain (7-2, 4-2 Frontier) was led by Omari Nesbit's 14 points. Sherman Royal III and Royce Robinson each added 13. The Bears were held to just 3-of-13 from three-point range and shot 37.5% overall. Robinson finished with a double-double, pulling down 10 rebounds.
Dickinson State's largest lead was 10 points late in the first half. Rocky closed the gap to four with under five minutes to play, but Doughty knocked down free throws and Daniel's second three-pointer pushed the margin back to nine, effectively putting the game out of reach.
