The Lake Region State College basketball teams ventured out to Big Sky Country on Wednesday for battles with Dawson Community College. Both Royals squads lost in close contests.
The women’s team, following their heroic wins at home over the top two teams in the Mon-Dak Athletic Conference, couldn’t replicate that magic on the road — though they came close. The game came down to the final seconds, as Kyla Fitzgerald tied it with a three-pointer to make it 56-56 and made two free throws to knot it up at 58 apiece. Tiyahna Trottier had a go-ahead free throw, but a foul with 6.7 seconds left cost the Royals as both of the Buccaneers’ final two free throw attempts were good.
LRSC couldn’t score on the final possession, making it a tough 60-59 loss.
It was a tight game where every basket mattered, and DCC ultimately won with its higher shooting percentages. The Buccaneers made 44.2% of their field goals compared to the Royals’ 31.1%, and shot 84.6% at the free throw line compared to LRSC’s 69.6. They led by merely one point after each half: 29-28 and the final 60-59. LRSC outscored DCC 16-8 in the third quarter, but the Buccaneers outscored the Royals 23-15 in the final quarter to make the teams even in the second half.
Brooke Kleinig led LRSC with 15 points. Kelsey Crossan had 10, Fitzgerald had nine and Anisah Wolf had seven. Natalie DeCoteau sat out the second straight game due to a back issue.
The Royals are still in third place in the Mon-Dak Athletic Conference at 14-8 overall and 7-6 in conference games. The Buccaneers have the same conference record, but are 0-9 in non-conference games. LRSC has still won 11 of its last 13 games.
The men’s loss, on the other hand, continued a frustrating losing streak for head coach Jared Marshall and his squad. The Royals lost yet another game where they were within striking distance; like the women, they trailed by just one point at halftime, which was apparently the theme in Glendive, Mont. on Wednesday. They were outscored by seven in the second half, though, and lost 82-74.
They had the deficit narrowed down to 64-63 late in the game, but a 13-0 run let DCC run away with it. It was LRSC’s sixth consecutive loss, dropping its record to 6-16, 2-11.
Ginuwine Tropnas put up a 17-point performance, while Noah Bonick had 15 and Blessed Barhayiga and Mitch Leas each had nine. The Royals actually had a higher field goal percentage than the Buccaneers at 46.3 compared to 39.7. They also had higher three-point and free throw percentages. But DCC had more opportunities in all three areas. The Buccaneers also outrebounded the Royals 45-34.
Joseph “Mojo” Hill is a reporter covering Lake Region sports for the Devils Lake Journal. Contact him on Twitter @mojohill22 or at jhill@devilslakejournal.com for any tips, questions or story ideas.
