MITCHELL, S.D. — Dakota Wesleyan Men's Basketball hosted the Dordt Defenders at the Corn Palace for the second game of the night's doubleheader on Senior Night.
The Tigers and Defenders started the contest trading points, and as the contest continued, it became clear that it would take major bursts of offense for one team to pull ahead of the other. The game's early phases saw Steele Morgan dominate near the paint, complemented by efficient shooting from range, as he posted 11 of his 26 total points in the first half. His 26 total recorded points also tied the Mitchell native's career-high on a 10-14 (71.4%) shooting clip, alongside contributing six rebounds and four assists. Anthony Riggans would also tie his DWU career-high by posting 22 total points while also tying for the most rebounds on the team during the game with seven, alongside three steals, a block, and an assist. The scoring duo helped give the Tigers an initial burst to gain momentum, and they would subsequently be joined in the effort by the rest of the lineup. Off the bench, Oliver Vincent put together an 11-point, five-assist performance, while Randy Rosenquist Jr., in the starting rotation, led the team with eight assists overall, while also recording seven rebounds, six points, and a steal. The added offensive firepower gave the Tigers a burst to get through the first half, but a slight edge in shooting from the field for Dordt put the Defenders ahead 44-39 at halftime.
The beginning of the second half saw the Tigers close the gap on Dordt and eventually take the lead before both squads began to trade leading spots on the scoreboard. Easton Neuendorf would get involved in the scoring effort, posting 11 points, four assists, and three rebounds as a starter, while Tyson Stevenson chipped in with 13 points of his own. They helped the Tigers grab the lead, but the Defenders were able to counter with offensive runs of their own, leading to a high-octane end of regulation that saw both teams heat up. The end of regulation saw both teams knotted up at 81-81, sending the game into a five-minute overtime period. During extra time, Morgan continued his impressive offensive output by helping the Tigers score 10 overtime points, but Dordt was able to capitalize on a couple of non-scoring DWU possessions to ultimately take the victory, 92-91, even after a final-second half-court shot from Vincent would connect. Dordt would cough up 14 turnovers to DWU's 11, but a slight advantage on shooting from the field, and four more total rebounds, would ultimately give the Defenders just enough room to get past the Tigers. DWU moves to 14-13 on the season, and 9-10 in GPAC play.
DWU Men's Basketball will be back in action on Saturday, February 21st, as they close out the regular season on the road against Northwestern. See the full 2025-26 schedule here.