Waldorf Men's Basketball Rally Falls Short at Dakota Wesleyan
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Waldorf (5-13, 1-9) | 29 | 41 | 70 |
|
Dakota Wesleyan (SD) (10-9, 5-6) | 41 | 42 | 83 |
MITCHELL, S.D. — Waldorf University held an early lead but could not slow a balanced Dakota Wesleyan attack, falling 83-70 on Wednesday night at The World's Only Corn Palace in GPAC men's basketball action.
The Warriors briefly controlled the pace in the first half, going up 7-6 on a 3-pointer from Conner Aldridge with 13:32 on the clock, then 10-8 after a deep shot from Krys Watley less than a minute later. From there, Dakota Wesleyan responded with a sustained run, turning a tight game into a 41-29 halftime advantage behind efficient shooting and interior scoring.
Waldorf battled to stay within striking distance after the break. Nick Graves opened the second half scoring for the Warriors with a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 41-35 at the 19:18 mark, and Waldorf continued to trade baskets in a higher-scoring half. However, each push was answered by the Tigers, including a 3-pointer from Tyson Stevenson that pushed the margin back to 50-41 with 16:03 to play.
Dakota Wesleyan's offensive efficiency proved decisive. The Tigers shot 47.5 percent from the field (28-for-59) and 36.4 percent from 3-point range (8-for-22), while also owning a 38-28 edge on the glass. Steele Morgan led the home team with 22 points on 10-for-15 shooting to go with eight rebounds and four assists, and Easton Neuendorf added 17 points and five assists. Randy Rosenquist Jr. contributed a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, helping the Tigers control the paint, where they outscored Waldorf 40-28.
The Warriors kept competing late. Aldridge converted a transition layup with 26 seconds remaining to cut the margin to 81-70, capping a strong offensive night for Waldorf in the second half, where the team scored 41 points. But Dakota Wesleyan immediately answered, as Anthony Riggans finished a dunk off a Stevenson assist on the ensuing possession to close the scoring at 83-70.
Watley paced Waldorf with 17 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two assists on 6-for-13 shooting, providing a steady presence on both ends. Aldridge added 15 points, four rebounds and two assists, including a pair of 3-pointers. Waldorf generated 26 points off 17 Dakota Wesleyan turnovers and picked up 11 steals, showing activity defensively, but could not fully capitalize as the Tigers offset those miscues with their shooting and rebounding advantages.
Overall, Waldorf finished 25-for-64 from the field (39.1 percent), 6-for-26 from beyond the arc (23.1 percent) and 14-for-19 at the free-throw line (73.7 percent). The result moves Dakota Wesleyan to 10-9 overall and 5-6 in league play, while the Warriors drop to 5-13 and 1-9 in conference action.