Aberdeen, S.D. – Six scorers in double-figures and a balanced offensive attack led the No. 12 Northern State men's basketball team over Sioux Falls Friday evening. The Wolves downed the Cougars 97-76, improving to 21-2 overall and 14-1 in the NSIC.
Despite a physical battle through 40 minutes of play, the Wolves cruised pasted the Cougars scoring 46 points in the first and 51 points in the second. They shot 67.3 percent from the floor, 61.1 percent from the 3-point line, and 87.0 percent from the foul line. Northern tallied 34 boards, out-rebounded Sioux Falls by 13 in the game and notched 11 second chance points.
They added 42 points in the paint, 42 points off the bench, nine points off turnovers, and a game leading 11 made 3-pointers. A total of nine players shot 50.0 percent or better from the floor, with three Wolves shooting a perfect 100.0 percent. Seven Wolves tallied multiple rebounds, while five notched more than one assist.
Logan Doyle led the team with 18 points and ten rebounds, notching his second straight double-double and third of the season. The senior shot 6-of-7 from the floor and added three assists and one block.
Ian Smith was second on the team with 15 points, however dished out a team leading seven assists as Northern combined for 23 in the win. Smith added two rebounds and one block, while going a perfect 4-for-4 from the foul line.
Rounding out the starting five were
DJ Pollard,
Gabe King,
Carter Evans, and
Cole Dahl with 12, 11, ten, and seven points apiece. Pollard added three rebounds and three assists, while King shot 50.0 percent from the floor with three rebounds of his own. Evans and Doyle were second and third on the team with six and five rebounds each, with Evans adding a team second best four assists.
Andrew Kallman led the team off the bench with 14 points, hitting an impressive 4-of-4 from the arc and 2-of-2 from the foul line.
Bo Fries and
Justin Decker followed with seven and three points respectively, with Fries going 3-of-3 from the floor and Decker going 1-of-1 from the 3-point line. Fries added three rebounds and three assists as well.
The Wolves return to action tomorrow against Southwest Minnesota State. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. between the Wolves and Mustangs.
