Courtesy of Midland Athletics
DICKINSON, N.D. – Midland University traveled to Dickinson, North Dakota, for a non-conference matchup against Dickinson State University on Thursday night. Despite a determined second-half effort, the Warriors fell to the Blue Hawks, 86-72.
The game opened with a quick basket from Dickinson State, but Trey McCain responded immediately for Midland. The teams traded baskets early, prompting a Midland timeout. Following the break, Dickinson State went on a 9-4 run. McCain ended the Warriors’ scoring drought with a jumper, but the Blue Hawks responded by calling back-to-back timeouts. After those short breaks, Dickinson State embarked on an 11-0 run, extending their lead to 31-16 with five minutes remaining in the first half. Cole Petersen finally broke Midland’s dry spell, and the teams traded baskets as the half drew to a close. Rece Kissinger hit the final shot of the half, sending the Warriors into the locker room trailing 44-31.
Midland came out strong in the second half, with McCain sparking a 10-5 run that cut the deficit and forced Dickinson State to call a timeout. After the break, Jake Orr and Kissinger combined for an 8-0 run, giving the Warriors a 51-49 lead and prompting another Blue Hawks timeout. Dickinson State answered with three consecutive three-pointers, igniting a 9-0 run. Jeff Rozelle III ended Midland’s scoring drought with a jumper, and the teams traded baskets down the stretch. With two minutes remaining, Midland called a timeout, but Dickinson State sealed the game at the free-throw line, handing the Warriors a tough 86-72 loss.
For the game, Midland shot 28-of-67 (41.8%), while Dickinson State shot 30-of-63 (48.4%). The Blue Hawks connected on 14 three-pointers, compared to just two for the Warriors.
McCain led Midland with 19 points, followed by Rozelle with 17, Orr with 12, and Kissinger with 11.
“We had three solid practices leading up to tonight, and it showed,” said Head Coach Tyler Erwin. “I liked the fight we brought on the road. Aside from our shooting percentage, we did a lot of good things. The first 15 defensive possessions in the second half, we got 13 stops—that was a huge stretch for us. Now, we need to build on that as we head into the break. Rece Kissinger and Nick Dolezal gave us some great minutes, and Jeff Rozelle III was strong on both ends. As a team, we know we’ve got to shoot the ball better from three, but overall, I’m proud of our effort.”
Midland (6-9, 1-6 GPAC) will take a holiday break before returning to action on January 4. The Warriors will host No. 7-ranked Northwestern (14-0, 6-0 GPAC) for a Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup. Tip-off is set for 3:45 p.m. inside Wikert Event Center.
