Black Hills State, as well as every other team in the Dakota Athletic Conference, knows that stopping the Dickinson State men's basketball team means stopping standouts Nathan Lebsock and Matt Lee.
The No. 5-ranked Yellow Jackets seem to have figured out how to do that better than anyone and, on Saturday night, it helped them claim a 67-56 victory over the Blue Hawks in the regular-season finale for both teams at Scott Gymnasium.
"Our main game plan was kind of the same as last time, to really try and limit Lee and Lebsock and what they can do," Black Hills State senior forward Luke Enos said. "Obviously they're really good players. I thought we did a pretty good job of that, making them work for everything. They still got a few buckets, but I think they really had to work for everything they got tonight."
Lebsock and Lee each scored 12 points to lead DSU and shot a combined 8 of 21 (38 percent) from the field while constantly being bothered by the Black Hills State defense.
While it was a much better performance than when Lebsock had four points and Lee was held scoreless in an 80-55 loss at Black Hills State, it was still below than their averages and where DSU needed the dynamic duo to be if it hoped to upend the Yellow Jackets (26-5, 12-2 DAC).
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"I think we played a great team and did what we needed to do defensively," DSU head coach Ty Orton said. "We got selfish. I don't think we passed the ball around."
In the meantime, Enos and senior guard Cain Atkinson controlled things on their end.
Enos scored a game-high 19 points and had six rebounds. Meanwhile, Atkinson added 15 points and made a pair of 3-pointers in the first 5 minutes of the second half to keep DSU from chipping away at Black Hills State's lead.
The Yellow Jackets shot 24 of 52 (46 percent) from the field.
"I think it started on the defensive end. I think we came out with a defensive mentality," Black Hills State head coach Bradd Schafer said. "... We knew they were going to be physical and -- from our standpoint -- we needed to match that and I thought we did. I thought we were able to take away some of the things they did with those two guys and we were able to get out and run on the offensive end and capitalize."
Black Hills State made DSU (17-12, 9-5 DAC) chase them from the outset.
Enos got the Yellow Jackets going early and kept them in the lead most of the game. Black Hills State led 30-21 at halftime and led 53-38 with 8:38 left in the second half.
DSU freshman Robbie Morey had two 3-pointers and junior Tevin Hurd rattled in another to help DSU cut its deficit to 56-49 with 4:34 remaining.
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Enos wouldn't let the Blue Hawks' get any closer though. He hit a pair of jumpers in the closing minutes and the Yellow Jackets sealed it from the free-throw line.
"I think we're playing against our competition instead of making our team better," Orton said. "It's over with now and we've got to move on."
Hurd had 10 points and five rebounds and Morey added eight points off the bench. Derek Pauley had six points, seven rebounds and five assists but shot just 2 of 11 from the field.
The Blue Hawks shot 20 of 59 (33 percent) from the field and 3 of 15 (20 percent) from 3-point range. But they were 13 of 16 (81 percent) from the free-throw line.
Because Jamestown College and South Dakota Mines lost on Saturday night, DSU fell into a three-way tie for second place with them.
Due to DAC tiebreaker rules, DSU will have the No. 4 seed and host rival Minot State at 7 p.m. Wednesday night in the conference tournament quarterfinals.
After winning its first five DAC games, the Blue Hawks finished the regular season 4-5. That stretch began with their first loss to Black Hills State.
Orton said he'll expect more out of the Blue Hawks on Wednesday with their season on the line.
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"We've got to compete like our lives depend on it," Orton said.
BLACK HILLS STATE (26-5, 12-2 DAC): Will John Johnson 2-4 5-5 9, Luke Enos 9-17 1-2 19, Cain Atkinson 4-11 4-4 15, Spencer Childress 2-5 3-4 8, Clay Pottorff 4-6 0-0 8, Tanner Adler 0-4 1-2 1, Rob Johnson 2-3 0-0 4, Travis Haney 1-2 0-0 3, Jordan Dolph 0-0 0-0 0.
DICKINSON STATE (17-12, 9-5 DAC): Derek Pauley 2-11 2-2 6, Matt Lee 3-9 6-8 12, Dano Fagerlund 2-5 0-0 4, Nathan Lebsock 5-12 2-2 12, John Hanstad 0-4 2-3 2, Jeff Hurd 1-4 0-0 2, Isiah Thomas 0-0 0-0 0, Brock Boos 0-0 0-0 0, Robbie Morey 3-4 0-0 8, Tevin Hurd 4-8 1-1 10, Jarek Hansen 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-59 13-16 56.
Halftime: BHSU 30-21. Total fouls: BHSU 11, DSU 13. 3-point goals: BHSU 5-17 (Atkinson 3-9, Childress 1-3, Pottorff 0-1, Adler 0-3, Haney 1-1), DSU 3-15 (Lee 0-2, Lebsock 0-3, Hanstad 0-3, J. Hurd 0-1, Morey 2-3, T. Hurd 1-2, Hansen 0-1). Rebounds: BHSU 36 (Enos 6, Childress 6), DSU 36 (Lee 8). Assists: BHSU 11 (Childress 5), DSU 10 (Pauley 5). Steals: BHSU 5 (Childress 2, Pottorff 2), DSU 4 (four with 1). Blocks: None. Turnovers: BHSU 13 (Atkinson 4), DSU 13 (Pauley 3, Lebosck 3).
