MITCHELL, S.D. – Joel Nelson scored inside with 1:19 to go in the second half, then sealed the win with two free throws with 2.2 seconds to go as the Valley City State Vikings slipped by Dakota Wesleyan 88-84 Wednesday night in Mitchell, South Dakota.

VCSU is now 4-0 on the season as they look to open Frontier Conference play next week. Dakota Wesleyan falls to 3-2 overall.

After two ties early on, Dakota Wesleyan went on a 11-2 run to take a nine-point lead less than five minutes into the game. A basket by Steele Morgan gave the Tigers a 16-7 lead with 15:26 to go in the first half. The Vikings would battle back to cut the lead down to two with under seven minutes to go in the first half. A basket by Logan Deal made it 29-27 Tigers with 6:46 to go in the half. The lead stayed between two and nine points the rest of the half as the Vikings were never able to get the lead before halftime. They were able to get the lead down to two on several occasions down the stretch. A jumper by JR Cison made the halftime score 48-46 Wesleyan.

In the second half, every time Dakota Wesleyan tried to pull away, Valley City State would answer and keep the Tigers close. With 13:03 to go in the half, Nez Chehade would score for the Vikings to tie the game at 58. It was the first tie since 5-5. Over the next two minutes, Valley City State would go on an 8-0 run to take their first lead of the game. After the Tigers took a 60-58 lead with 12:52 to go, that is when the Vikings made their move. A basket by Alex Lester started the run by tying the score at 60-60. A basket inside by Nelson gave the Vikings their first lead at 62-60. They would build on that lead with baskets by Nelson and Chehade. Chehade's basket made it 66-60 Vikings with 10:59 to go in the second half.

The lead grew to seven on two free throws by Cison that made it 78-71 VCSU with 6:54 to go in the second half. But Wesleyan would go on a 8-0 run to take the lead back. A three-pointer by Easton Neuendorf made it 79-78 Tigers with 4:43 to go in the second half.  A Kaleb Larson three-pointer gave the Vikings the lead back 81-79 ten seconds later. Morgan converted a three-point play to give Wesleyan an 82-81 lead with 2:42 to go.

Another Larson three-pointer gave the Vikings the lead 84-82 with 2:06 to go. Two Morgan free throws tied the game at 84-84 with 1:40 to go. On the next trip down the floor, the Vikings got the ball to Nelson whose jump hook in the lane hit went in and gave VCSU the lead back at 86-84. Nelson scored twelve of his 16 points in the second half. The Tigers had two opportunities to tie or take the lead in the final minute but could not score and the Vikings grabbed the defensive rebounds on each occasion. Nelson made the final two free throws with 2.2 seconds to go to lock up the fourth win in as many games for the Vikings.

Also in double figures with Nelson were JR Cison who scored twelve points. Kaleb Larson finished with twelve and Nez Chehade had eleven off the bench along with eight rebounds and three assists. Taylor Bryant-Frey had eight points for VCSU. Alex Lester and Caden Grinde each had six points. Lester added eight rebounds and Grinde had two steals.

Up Next: Valley City State will start Frontier Conference play Wednesday, November 18^th when they travel to Mayville State to take on the Comets.