DICKINSON, N.D. — Dickinson State dropped a Frontier Conference home contest Saturday night, falling 77-57 to Montana Tech at the Scott Gymnasium.
The Blue Hawks trailed 35-27 at halftime and were unable to close the gap in the second half as the Orediggers pulled away with a 42-30 advantage after the break. Dickinson State moved to 5-10 overall and 3-6 in Frontier Conference play.
Montana Tech established control early with an efficient first half, shooting consistently and limiting Dickinson State's second-chance opportunities. The Orediggers used a balanced scoring effort to build an eight-point lead at intermission.
Dickinson State opened the second half with renewed energy and briefly cut into the deficit, but Montana Tech responded with a series of baskets to restore separation. The visitors extended the margin to double digits midway through the half and maintained control down the stretch.
Brayden Koch led Dickinson State with 19 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the field while adding three rebounds. Asher Williams provided a spark off the bench, finishing with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting and a perfect 4-for-4 effort at the free-throw line.
Camdyn LaRance and Karson Peffer each added 13 points for the Blue Hawks. LaRance contributed four rebounds and two assists, while Peffer added four rebounds and knocked down three free throws.
Dickinson State shot 38.6 percent from the field and 4-of-14 from three-point range. The Blue Hawks went 16-of-19 at the free-throw line and finished with 27 rebounds. Montana Tech held a rebounding edge and capitalized on second-half opportunities to extend the lead.
Defensively, Dickinson State forced several stops early in the game but struggled to contain Montana Tech's offensive rhythm in the second half. The Orediggers scored consistently in the paint and limited Dickinson State's transition chances.
Dickinson State rotated multiple lineups throughout the night, with contributions from Ethan Venema, Josh Coulanges and Rhett Reynolds. Venema added eight points, including a pair of second-half baskets, while Coulanges and Reynolds combined for seven points.
