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City,ND (VCSUvikings.com)- VCSU Men’s Basketball opened their 2016-17 season hosting Brandon University.The Vikings took game 1 Saturday 85-71 and dropped the Sunday tilt 69-67.
Game 1:Rashad Satahoo knocked down five 3′ s and Austin Dunbar poured in a game-high 23 points Saturday as the Valley City State men’s basketball team opened the season with an 85-71 victory against Brandon University.
Dunbar’s 23 points and Satahoo’s 21 led four Vikings in double figures and propelled VCSU to a victory in head coach Ryan Montgomery’s coaching debut Saturday in Valley City. The Vikings move to 1-0 on the season. VCSU and Brandon will rematch Sunday at 2 p.m. at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.
The Vikings shot 57 percent in the first half Saturday as they built a 39-35 lead at the break. VCSU outscored Brandon 46-36 in the second half to pull away. The Vikings shot 48 percent overall (31-64), 42 percent from 3-point range (8-19) and 71 percent at the free throw line (15-21).
Dunbar’s 23 points came on 8-for-14 shooting. He added five rebounds and three steals. Satahoo went 5-for-8 on 3-pointers as he finished with 21 points and four rebounds. Three of Satahoo’s 3’s came in the first four minutes and sparked the Vikings to an early 13-3 lead.
Jayden Ferguson had 15 points, five rebounds and three assists. Jason Ralph finished with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Starting centerEllwood Ellenson posted eight points and eight rebounds.
VCSU led by as many as 15 points midway through the second half. After the Bobcats trimmed the lead to 72-64 with 5:54 remaining, VCSU mounted a 13-3 run over the next four minutes to put the game out of reach.
The Viking defense came up with 12 steals in the game and forced 22 turnovers by the Bobcats. Brandon University shot 50 percent overall (28-56), 47 percent on 3’s (9-19) and 44 percent on free throws (4-9). Josh Bell led Brandon with 13 points. Tyler Anderson added 11.
Game2:Tyvon Cooper scored 31 points Sunday as the Brandon University men’s basketball team handed VCSU its first loss of the season, 69-67.
The Vikings won the opener with Brandon on Saturday, 85-71, but the Bobcats won the rematch Sunday by outscoring VCSU 9-5 in the final 53 seconds.
VCSU’s Rashad Satahoo nailed a 3 with 1:13 remaining to put the Vikings up 62-60 on Sunday afternoon in Valley City. Brandon’s Josh Bell answered with a 3 of his own 20 seconds late, giving the Bobcats the lead for good.
Trailing 67-64, VCSU’s Austin Dunbar made a shot inside and was fouled with 10 seconds left. Dunbar’s free throw attempt to tie the game spun in and out though, and Brandon made two more free throws to ice the game.
Satahoo scored a team-high 23 points for VCSU and added 11 rebounds for a double-double. Jayden Ferguson posted 20 points, and Dunbar finished with 13 points and six rebounds. Elwood Ellenson added six points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
Cooper led the Bobcats with 31 points, including a 12-for-14 day at the free throw line. Bell added 12 points and four assists.
VCSU shot 36 percent from the field (20-56), 30 percent on 3’s (6-20) and 72 percent on free throws (21-29). Brandon was 38 percent overall (23-60), 35 percent on 3’s (9-26) and 64 percent at the line (14-22).
The Vikings committed just eight turnovers in the loss, while Brandon had just 11 turnovers. The teams were tied 32-32 at halftime, and Brandon outscored VCSU 37-35 in the second half.
Up next: Valley City State (1-1, 0-0 NSAA) has a week off before hosting Minot State University on Monday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m.