MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team came into 2015-16 on the heels of the greatest season in program history, but the graduation of four starters left the team with several unknowns and holes to fill all over the floor.
The Tigers answered questions about their resolve, finishing with 22 wins and in third place in a highly competitive Great Plains Athletic Conference. DWU picked up wins over two ranked teams and three more receiving votes, with the biggest win of the year coming against then No. 9 Briar Cliff University on the road.
Bumps and bruises along the way hampered DWU down the stretch as the team dropped three of its final six, including a pair of losses to Nebraska Wesleyan University. The Tigers advanced to the semifinals of the GPAC Tournament before falling in a shoot-out to the Prairie Wolves, leaving DWU with an at-large bid to the NAIA postseason tournament.
The Tigers will look to rekindle the magic of a year ago when the team stormed through the first four rounds of the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament before falling in the title game. DWU has several key contributors back this year who played large roles in helping the Tigers advance to the title game.
DWU did not put together a winning streak of more than four games this season, but managed to avoid long slumps. The Tigers are the at-large No. 5 heading into this week's event in Branson, Mo., where DWU takes on Indiana Institute of Technology in the first round. The meeting is the first ever between the two schools.
Senior guard Trae Bergh carried the Tigers through the first half of the season before battling injuries throughout the GPAC schedule. Bergh is averaging a career-high 21.4 points per game this season, while hitting 47 percent of his field goals and 40 percent of his 3-point attempts. He set a new DWU record for 3-pointers with 12 against Nebraska Wesleyan earlier this season on the road in a game that saw Bergh score a career-high 45 points on 14-of-20 shooting. Bergh also set a new Tiger men's basketball record for 3-pointers in a career, passing Chase Walder's 249 earlier this season. Bergh comes into the national tournament with 314 career 3-pointers.
For the second straight season, Bergh was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-American First Team, becoming the first Tiger in any sport to receive the award twice. After being named to the All-GPAC Second Team the last two seasons, Bergh made his debut on the All-GPAC First Team this season.
Joining Bergh on the All-GPAC First Team was junior point guard Tate Martin. The Mitchell, S.D., native surpassed 500-career assists earlier this season and will close in on the career school record in his senior season. Martin has a chance to break the single-season assist record at DWU, needing 11 to match Lynn Frederick's (1977-78) mark of 227.
Martin has played a major role in DWU continuing its efficiency on offense, as the team leads the NAIA in assist-to-turnover ratio for the second straight season. DWU is averaging two assists for every one turnover this season.
Since stepping on campus, Martin has made a name for himself as an electric playmaker. He is leading the NAIA in total assists with 216 and assists per game with 6.75. However, in 2015-16 Martin has stepped up his scoring, averaging a career-best 14.8 points per game, while hitting just shy of 50 percent from the field.
After three years of playing a big role off the bench for DWU, senior forward Jade Miller has emerged as a go-to scoring option for the Tigers since being placed in the starting lineup as a senior. Miller is averaging a career-best 20.0 points per game heading into the national tournament, while surpassing the 1,000-career point mark earlier this season. Miller has 1,408-career points and joined his father, Alan Miller, DWU's all-time leading scorer, in the 1,000-point club.
In the last 10 games, the Mitchell, S.D., native has scored 20 or more points nine times, including a pair of 32-point performances against Nebraska Wesleyan. Miller's role has expanded to the defensive end as he is averaging six rebounds with nearly one block per game. Miller picked up his first All-GPAC honor, making the second team, while senior forward Terrell Newton was named an All-GPAC Honorable Mention. Newton is averaging 7.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
In the opening round of the 2016 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Tournament, the No. 5 seed Tigers will tangle with the No. 4 Indiana Tech Warriors. The Tigers and Warriors are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Mo.
About the Warriors:
Record: 23-9 (17-5 Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference)
Appearances in the NAIA Tournament: 7
Record at NAIA Tournament: 3-6
Last appearance in NAIA Tournament: 2012
NAIA bid: Warriors are the No. 4 at-large
Season review: The Warriors finished third in a strong WHAC with a record of 17-5 and received the No. 4 at-large berth into the National Tournament. Indiana Tech made the semifinals of the WHAC tournament, falling to No. 8 Cornerstone University. The Warriors are a strong defensive team, leading the nation in total blocks with 196 and are second in blocks per game with 6.18. The Indiana Tech defense gives up just 66.4 points per game, which is fifth best in the NAIA. Dominque Walls leads the Warrior front court with nearly 2.5 blocks per game and is averaging north of nine rebounds. Miles Robinson leads Indiana Tech on offense with 19.9 points per game and has scored in double figures in all but one game this season.
Last meeting: DWU and Indiana Tech have never played in men's basketball
