Index of Sports Press Releases

Dec. 6, 2006

#15 Tigers Hold Off #23 Mustangs

Mitchell, S.D. — The 15th-ranked Dakota Wesleyan men’s basketball team jumped out to a 23-7 lead ten minutes into the game and held off #23 Morningside as the Tigers improved to 9-1 overall with a 95-82 victory over the Mustangs in Great Plains Athletic Conference action on Wednesday (Dec. 6) at the Corn Palace.

The Tigers (9-1, 3-1 GPAC) entered the NAIA Division II rankings for the first time since the 2000-01 season when they were announced Wednesday afternoon.

DWU shot an outstanding 55.6 percent from the field, including 50 percent from 3-point range as the Tigers scored a season-high 95 points. DWU also converted 25-30 free throw attempts.

Dakota Wesleyan led 48-32 at halftime, shooting 62.1 percent from the floor with eight made 3-pointers.

Morningside (7-5, 3-2 GPAC) closed the gap to six points at 62-56 when Mitch Carstens hit back-to-back 3-pointers at the 10:44 mark in the second half. DWU then scored five straight points and didn’t allow the Mustangs to get closer than eight points the rest of the game.

Brock Seim, who returned to the lineup for the first time since Nov. 3, scored a game-high 25 points in 30 minutes off the bench to lead five DWU players in double figures. Seim went 6-10 from the floor, 3-6 from 3-point range and a perfect 10-10 from the free throw line.

GPAC Player-of-the-Week Preston Broughton added 14 points and nine rebounds. Jered Hokenson scored 12, Marcus Vontz had 11 and Andrew Lasche’ had 10 points. Kevin Talley just missed double figures with nine points.

The Mustangs had four players reach double figures led by Thomas Pargett with 21. Leading scorer Jack Rother added 16 points, but was just 1-6 from beyond the arc. Morningside out-rebounded the Tigers, 36-33, and had 19 offensive boards.

The Tigers now hit the road on Saturday (Dec. 9) to take on Hastings College at 4 p.m. in Hastings, Neb. Hastings and DWU are tied in the GPAC standings with 3-1 records. The Broncos are 9-3 overall.