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CITY, N.D (NewsDakota.com) Although the games may not have counted for the Valley City State basketball teams, they still had an opportunity to spoil the opening night of the regular season for the University of Minnesota Crookston.
On Tuesday night the Vikings made the trip east for a double header against the Golden eagles. While the women fell in a hard fought match by a score of 63-48, the men claimed a 65-47 win.
The Women’s team trailed by as much as 18 points in the second half. However, with hard work under the basket the Vikings would cut the deficit to just four points with three minutes left in the game. The Vikings out scored their opponent in 14-12 in the paint, but they had their issues behind the arc going just 3-14 on the night. The Vikings three point struggles allowed the Eagles to pull away in the final minutes to capture a 63-48 win.
The men’s team tipped off shortly after the women’s match came to an end, and it became abundantly obvious that there was no holding back just because it was an exhibition game for VCSU. The Vikings held a 20 point lead in the first half while shooting an outstanding 60% from the field. The Eagles looked to cut the game to ten before the half, but Aaron Duske eliminated that thought when he hit a last second three that sent the Vikings to the locker room with a 15 point lead.
Ten minutes into the second half UMC pulled to within nine of the Vikings on a Lucas Reller three pointer. It was as close as they would get. Vikings would finish the game with their foot on the peddle earning a 65-47 win.
While the win may not count officially on the season, VCSU will look to carry that momentum into their next game on Friday, November 15th when they take on the nation’s top seed Cardinal Stritch at a two day tournament at Viterbo University.
The Women’s team will host William Penn University on Saturday, November 16th at the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.