DES MOINES, IOWA - The Grand View men's basketball team beat Dakota Wesleyan 77-72 on Tuesday night in its home opener. The Vikings led by as many as 20 points in the second half, and Terrius Walker scored 24 points without missing a shot from the field.
Walker scored the first two baskets, both layups, to put Grand View up 4-0, and Dakota Wesleyan tied it at 4-4 a few minutes in. Martez Rhodes, Daviyon Gaston and Lukas Helms each scored inside to move the Vikings back to a 12-6 lead, but Dakota Wesleyan cut it to 14-12 and took a 15-14 lead on a three-pointer, the only time it was ahead. Gaston answered with a jumper, and Grand View outscored Dakota Wesleyan 11-2 over the next few minutes. Rodell Davis Jr. made two free throws and a three-pointer assisted by Gaston, Gaston scored on a fastbreak layup, and Brody Ingold added a layup to make it 25-17. Walker hit a three-pointer assisted by Rhodes and added a layup to push the lead to 30-19. Gaston followed with a three and a jumper to make it 35-21. Dakota Wesleyan scored the last few baskets of the half to get within 11, and Ingold hit a three-pointer assisted by Helms with 12 seconds left to send Grand View into halftime up 39-27.
The Vikings opened the second half the same way. Rhodes and Walker scored inside, Matthew Watters added a jumper and a layup, and Rhodes made two free throws to make it 49-29, the largest lead of the night. Dakota Wesleyan hit several three-pointers in the middle of the half to get within nine at 54-45, but Grand View kept scoring in the paint. Walker had two dunks and a layup in that stretch, Gaston made two free throws, and Davis hit a three-pointer assisted by Taylor Feroah to make it 64-49. Dakota Wesleyan cut it to 67-55 with about four minutes left, then hit two threes and a fastbreak layup to get within seven. Feroah hit a three-pointer assisted by Watters in between, and he made two free throws to make it 72-65. Gaston and Walker closed it out at the line, and Gaston made two more free throws with three seconds left to seal the win.
GAME NOTES:
- Terrius Walker led the Vikings with 24 points on 10-10 shooting, including a three-pointer, and added 5 rebounds and a block.
- Daviyon Gaston scored 18 points with 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.
- Martez Rhodes had 9 points and 5 assists, and Rodell Davis Jr. added 9 points.
- Taylor Feroah had 5 points and 6 rebounds, and Brody Ingold also scored 5.
- Grand View shot 49.0% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range, and went 21-32 at the free-throw line.
- The Vikings had a 7-3 advantage in blocks.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Grand View improves to 2-1 on the season. The Vikings play next at Avila University (Mo.) in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7:00 p.m.
