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(NewsDakota.com)- Wednesday night was the final game in the first half of the conference season for the Jimmie basketball teams as they hosted Dakota State. The University of Jamestown grabbed two wins as both the men and the women picked up victories. The men used a 49-point second-half to win 80-69 and the women closed the first half on a 23-4 run to pull away in an 88-44 beat down.
The women got an efficient 16 points from Jordan Bridges who played only 13 minutes but made the most of it. After collecting three fouls in the first half in less than three minutes, Bridges finished the game with a team-high on 7-9 shooting. “Shes a difference maker,” said Coach Greg Ulland. “When she is on the floor and playing well we are a different team and you saw that tonight.”
The Jimmies also got a glimpse into the future with Kyra Dewald and Paige Emmel scoring 11. “Kyra was good tonight,” Ulland said about the Jamestow High alum. “She hit some big shots when we were in a bit of rut.” The Jimmies had scored the first seven points of the game, but the Trojans responded with eight in a row before Dewald scored the next four points. Jamestown never looked back.
They held Dakota State with just one field goal the last 6:56 of the half. The No. 4 Jimmies have a big one with No. 13 Mayville St. on Saturday.
Mark Hoge and Brequan Tucker can sure fill up the stat sheet. “I challenged Mark at half time,” Coach Justin Wieck said after the game. “I didn’t think he was playing very well and I told him that.” I would say he responded. After just four points in the first 20 minutes, Hoge scored 22 in the second. He finished two assists shy of a triple-double with a line of 26 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. Tucker added 24 points and eight rebounds.
Tucker and Hoge have been the offensive catalyst all season long for Jamestown and they jump started the Jimmies in the second half. They had trailed 34-31 into the break, but scored 21 of the first 24 in the second stanza. Dakota State would get back within five on one other occasion, but missed free throw would haunt the Trojans.
Jamestown made 12 three-pointers in the game. They are now a perfect 4-0 in the NSAA and have a two-game lead for the No. 1-seed in the conference tournament. The Jimmies have won all seven games played in 2014.