Mustangs shoot past Tiger men 90-86

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — Shane Murphy thought his team allowed Morningside to shoot “lights out.”

“The fact that we weren’t back and set in defense allowed them do well offensively,” said Dakota Wesleyan men’s basketball coach Murphy, whose team lost 90-86 to the Mustangs in a Great Plains Athletic Conference game Wednesday in Sioux City, Iowa. “It was a poor effort on our part from the defensive standpoint.”

The Mustangs shot 55 percent from the field, making 12-of-25 three-point baskets. Danny Rudeen led all players with 34 points, going 4-of-5 from behind the arc. Tanner Ferguson made five threes and finished with 17 points, Tanner Miller scored 12 points and Kyle Nikkel added 10 for the Mustangs, who shot 67 percent from the free-throw line.

Murphy said Morningside (12-14, 7-9 GPAC) also halted his team’s offensive plan.

“They do a few things defensively that for some reason gave us some trouble,” said Murphy, whose team won the rebounding battle 43-24. “We had too many possessions where we were trying to make plays when we weren’t set.”

The Tigers (12-13, 7-8 GPAC) were led by Mike Lee and Kris Menning with 20 points apiece. Menning made five of the team’s eight threes.

Jalen Voss recorded the game’s only double-double with 19 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Aireus Stephenson scored 14 points for the Tigers, who shot 49 percent from the field and 80 percent from the foul line.

DWU hosts Midland University at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell.

DAKOTA WESLEYAN 86

MORNINGSIDE 90

DWU (12-13, 7-8 GPAC)

Mike Lee 6-14 7-7 20; Kris Menning 7-12 1-1 20; Luke Bamberg 3-6 2-3 8; Aireus Stephenson 6-14 1-1 14; Jalen Voss 7-11 5-6 19; Carde Pennington 2-3 0-0 5; Trae Bergh 0-1 0-0 0; Danny Maman 0-2 0-0 0; Stephen Lee 0-0 0-2 0; Totals: 31-63 16-20 86.

MC (12-14, 7-9 GPAC)

Danny Rudeen 14-17 2-2 34; Tanner Miller 5-8 0-1 12; Trent Miller 2-3 2-2 7; Tanner Ferguson 5-11 2-2 17; Kyle Nikkel 4-8 2-4 10; Jared Kolbush 1-3 3-5 5; Keithan Karn 0-1 0-0 0; Steve O’Neill 1-3 0-0 2; Tyler Johnson 0-2 1-2 1; Ryan Strand 0-1 0-0 0; Drew Dau 1-3 0-0 2; Totals: 33-60 12-18 90.

Halftime: MC 40-38. 3-point goals: DWU 8-18 (Lee 1, Menning 5, Stephenson 1, Pennington 1), MC 12-25 (Rudeen 4, Tanner Miller 2, Trent Miller 1, Ferguson 5); Rebounds: DWU 43 (Voss 17, Bamberg 12), MC 24 (Nikkel 9); Assists: DWU 12 (Lee 4), MC 24 (Trent Miller 10); Steals: DWU 3 (Menning 2), MC 8 (Trent Miller 4); Turnovers: DWU 15, MC 11; Personal fouls: DWU 19, MC 19; Technical fouls: None.

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