BISMARCK, N.D. – Bismarck State men's basketball regrouped after a low-scoring first half and played Dakota State (S.D.) nearly even over the final 20 minutes, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome in a 71–55 loss Friday night at the BSC Armory.

The Trojans built separation in the opening half behind efficient shooting and capitalized on turnovers to take a 33–21 lead into the break. DSU extended the margin early in the second half, pushing the lead to as many as 26 before the Mystics settled in and began chipping away.

BSC responded with improved ball movement and defensive pressure, only being outscored 34–38 after halftime and holding the Trojans to just three made three-pointers on the night. The Mystics also shot 48 percent from the field in the second half after struggling offensively early.

Houston Davis led Bismarck State with 16 points, scoring 11 of them in the second half. Alex Proctor and William Ware each added nine points, while Tristin Davis chipped in eight and went a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.

Dakota State was led by Aiden Jensen, who finished with 13 points, while Nathan Ojukwu added 12 as the Trojans shot 50.8 percent from the field and scored 25 points off turnovers.

Despite the final margin, the Mystics showed resilience down the stretch, matching Dakota State's pace offensively after halftime and continuing to compete through the final horn, as 71 points is the lowest point total they've held an opponent to this season.

BSC welcomes Frontier Conference front-runner (RV) Bellevue (Neb.) (13-2, 8-1) to the Armory on Saturday night. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
 

Check out the men's schedule for information on how to follow and watch the team during their upcoming games.
 

Be sure to visit BSCMystics.com and download the MysticNation app to continue to stay up to date with everything going on in Mystic Athletics.

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