Dakota Wesleyan (2-2, 0-0 GPAC) is in Sioux City tomorrow for the GPAC season opener against No. 12 Morningside (2-1, 0-0 GPAC). The Tigers men are coming off an 0-2 weekend at the Sanford Pentagon with losses to Valley City State and Presentation. In the two losses combined, DWU had 39 turnovers.
Dakota Wesleyan and Morningside split games last year with both teams winning on the road — and this will be a very similar Mustangs team as the Tigers saw last year.
“They’ve got a freshman guard (Justin Sitte) at the point, but they still play very similar,” DWU head coach Matt Wilber said. “Obviously they’re anchored by Zach Imig and Trey Brown — their two super seniors.”
Wilber said one new wrinkle with Morningside is the increased contribution of sophomore Mustang wing Aiden Vanderloo. Vanderloo transfered from Iowa to Morningside last year but did not score in the first game against Dakota Wesleyan and had eight points in the second matchup. Vanderloo has led Morningside in scoring through three contests at 21 points per game.
As coach Wilber mentioned, Zach Imig and Trey Brown lead Morningside as seniors back for a fifth year with the COVID-19 option
“Trey Brown, for being a five man, is very active … When he doesn’t have the ball, he cuts and moves around the paint and is active, so you can’t lose sight of him,” Wilber said. “And Zach Imig is one of the best off-ball players in our league from a movement and offensive rebounding standpoint. If he’s making jumpers on you, it’s going to be a long day, but he’s one of those guys that doesn’t need to make jumpers to be the best player on the court.”
The Men will tip at 4 p.m. following the completion of the Women’s game, which will tip at 2 p.m. A preview for the DWU vs No. 6 Morningside women’s game is available here.