Vikings Host Two Conference Foes

Blair, Nebraska ~ The Viking Basketball team found itself in the middle of conference action the week before finals.  The Vikings hosted two GPAC foes on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.  Dana saw mixed results as they defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 61-54 early in the week and then lost a thrilling 59-54 decision to Mt. Marty.

The Vikings earned their first conference win of the season Wednesday evening against Nebraska Wesleyan.  The Vikings have run their winning streak against the Prairie Wolves to three games, after sweeping both match-ups last season.

Both teams exchanged leads in the opening minutes of the first half.  Trent Mumma (JR, Bennington, NE) and Doug Huston (SO, Olathe, KS) each hit buckets to tie the score-up.  Then the ball found its way to the hands of Teddy Cox (SR, Hawley, MN).  Cox drained a three pointer to tie the score at 7-7 with 16:45 remaining.  This would be the closest that NWU would get the remainder of the half.  Dana stretched their lead to ten points as the first half drew to a close as Cox drained his third three-pointer of the evening.

The second half saw the Prairie Wolves pull closer, but they were unable to overcome the Vikings.  Dana saw NWU tie the game midway through the second half, but Coach Fear’s team did not falter.  Eric Maassen (SO, Hancock, IA) took a Jared Kitzelman (SR, Fremont, NE) pass and score in the paint to regain the lead.  From there, the Vikings never looked back.  Ted Cox and Trent Mumma hit consecutive three’s to stretch the Viking lead back to eight points with less than five minutes left to play.  The score remained that way as the Viking defense came up strong.  Both Maassen and Jon Person (SO, Olathe, KS) came up with huge blocked shots as Nebraska Wesleyan tried to rally.

Teddy Cox had a season high 27 point on nine of 13 shooting.  Cox was four of eight from behind the three-point arc, but more impressively was five of five from the free throw line.  Cox also pulled down a team high six rebounds.  Trent Mumma was the only other Viking in double digits with 13 points.  Doug Huston dished out four assists.  Jon Person had two blocked shots, two steals, and four rebounds.

Dana looked to continue its hot play against Mt. Marty on Saturday afternoon.  The Vikings were anything, but hot in the first half.  The Lancers jumped on the Vikings from the opening tip.  Mt. Marty opened the game on a 25-9 run.  Dana looked out of the game before they even worked up a sweat.  Mt. Marty came up with five steals in the opening period and forced Dana into 15 turnovers.  To make matters worse, Dana shot only 33-percent compared to MMC’s 55-pecent.  The Vikings went into the locker room trailing 35-19.

The start of the second half looked eerily like a replay of the first as Mt. Marty stretched its lead to 21 points with 16 minutes left to go in the game.  Zeb Christensen (SR, State Center, IA) then gave the Vikings a spark.  Christen was fouled as he hit a 10-foot jumper.  He popped up from the floor pumping his fist and proceeded to knock down the bonus free throw.  AJ Arkfeld (FR, Harlan, IA) then made two consecutive defensive steals and drained a three-pointer to pull Dana to within 13 with 14 minutes remaining.

Arkfeld then pulled down a defensive rebound and pushed the ball back up the floor.  He found a wide open Zach Genant (SO, Springfield, SD) who drained a three-pointer to draw the Vikings within ten points.    Following two Ted Cox free throws and an AJ Arkfeld three pointer, Zeb Christensen pulled Dana within three as time ran down.  The Vikings could not overcome the time clock and fell just shot 59-54.

Teddy Cox would be the lone Viking in double digits with 11 points.  Zeb Christensen had seven second half points to go along with six rebounds.  Eric Maassen had four rebounds and added three blocked shots.  Doug Huston and Zach Genant each dished out team high three assists.  Gabe Bross (SO, Omaha, NE) pulled down six rebounds.

The Vikings will travel to the warm, tropical island of Oahu later this week.  Dana will be taking part in the Hoop ‘N Surf Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Dana will take on Oneonta University on December 17^th at 2:00pm (Hawaiian time) at Kaiser High School.  The next day the Vikings will play the Clan of Simon Fraser University.  Game time will be at 8:00pm local time at McKinley High School.  Dana will return to the mainland and take on the University of Nebraska-Omaha on December 29^th at 7:00pm.

For more information, contact:


Shad Beam, sports information director, (402) 426-7389, sbeam@dana.edu

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Scott Guzinski, assistant Sports Information Director, (402) 426-7949, sguzinsk@dana.edu