MITCHELL, S.D. — Dakota Wesleyan Men's Basketball opened its 2025-26 campaign in the Corn Palace against the Grand View Vikings.
The Tigers and the Vikings found themselves in a slow start to the contest, but points quickly rolled in as either team settled into the contest. Steele Morgan would be the first to get on the board for Dakota Wesleyan in an effort that saw the Mitchell local record 17 points in addition to five boards, two assists, and a steal. The rest of the starting rotation chimed in, as Oliver Vincent dropped 20 points while Anthony Riggans added 11 to the scoreboard on four-for-eight (50%) shooting from the field. Dakota Wesleyan's offense, even with a well-rounded early effort, was initially outpaced by Grand View once they had fully settled into the contest. A 29-17 lead in favor of GVU put the pressure on the Tigers heading into the back portion of the first half, but DWU stayed the course as Randy Rosenquist Jr. put the team back on track. The junior posted a game-high of 22 total points alongside five steals and five rebounds in a complete effort. Rosenquist helped the Tigers go on a seven-to-zero run within the final five minutes of the first half to bring the score to an even 34-34 heading into the break.
A drilled three-point shot from Riggans opened the second half for the Tigers and set the pace for the rest of the contest, as the Tiger offense surged late into the game. The majority of DWU's production stemmed from their starting five, but the added offensive presence of Andrew Younan and Tyson Stevenson kept the Viking defense on its heels. Dakota Wesleyan continued to lead the scoring effort while Grand View kept pace as the game stayed close, even reclaiming the lead from DWU at certain points, but GVU's 60-56 lead with under ten minutes to play was the last one they would hold for the rest of the game. The continued pressure from DWU's offense pressed forward and extended its lead to multiple possessions, ultimately culminating in a series of free throws to secure the win for Dakota Wesleyan. A final stretch of points saw the Tigers start the season 1-0 with an 89-84 win.
Sam Nicholson recorded his first-ever win as a collegiate head coach, starting his time as the 22nd leader of DWU Men's Basketball on the right foot. In his first contest leading the Tigers, the team went 27-of-63 from the field (42.9%), 16-of-36 from the three-point line (44.4%), and 19-21 from the charity stripe (90.5%).
DWU Men's Basketball will be back in action against Bismarck State at 8:00 PM on Tuesday, November 4th, as a part of the first basketball doubleheader of the season. See the full 2025-26 schedule here.