Warriors Win Both Halves, Bests Trojans

FOREST CITY, IA – The Warriors answered every visitors push on Saturday afternoon. Waldorf University won both halves and bested Dakota State in North Star Athletic Association men's basketball play.

After a back-and-forth opening five minutes, Waldorf took the game's first two-possession lead, 19-14, on a Khalil Grayson jumper at 7:14 into the contest. The Trojans rallied from down nine points seven minutes into the second stanza and pulled to within a single point, 55-54, at the exact midway point. But, Noah Miller was there for the first of three times for the Warriors down the stretch with a bucket, another with 5:04 for a seven-point separation and capped a key 7-0 spurt to ice the game, 74-60, with a pair of free throws with 2:55 remaining.

With the victory, Waldorf (9-13) sweeps its weekend and even its NSAA record to 4-4. The Warriors two victories are the third time this season with back-to-back victories and first since the opening two contests to start the 2024 part of the docket at Martin Luther College and Viterbo.

Miller connected on 6 of 9 shots from the field with 5 of 8 efficiency beyond the arc and 5 of 6 free throws for 22 points. Grayson made 8 of 16 of his attempts, including a pair of treys, to account for 20 of the 24 bench points to go with six rebounds and two assists. Khyle Washington added 15 points and two more of the nine Waldorf 3-pointers, pulled down seven boards and handed out five helpers. Ugo Ejiofor narrowly missed another double-double with 13 rebounds to go with eight points and a pair of blocked shots.

As a team, Waldorf drained 9 of 20 from 3-point range and outrebounded the vistors, 40-21.

Japjit Gill garnered top honors for Dakota State with 15 points.

Trailing 21-14, Dakota State netted the next seven points to tie the contest with 7:30 to go in the first 20 minutes. It turned out to be the last tie of the game. Washington hit a jump shot 21 seconds later to start a 9-0 home run and Waldorf enjoyed a 34-29 intermission edge.

The Warriors used the 3-pointer to build a double-digit lead early in the second period with Washington hitting the half's first and Miller finding the net on back-to-back attempts for a 43-33 margin only 2:15 gone by. Dakota State cut the difference down to three, 43-40, and eventually to the single point, 55-54, before the home answers in the final nine minutes.

Waldorf returns to action next weekend starting on Friday evening, Feb. 9, at Dickinson State (ND) in a 8:30 p.m. CST tip-off.

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