Milwaukee defeats S Dakota St 88-87
Milwaukee Edges South Dakota State in Thrilling 88-87 Upset
In a back-and-forth battle at the Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee pulled off a stunning 1-point victory over visiting South Dakota State, spoiling the Coyotes' (AWAY) chances for a thrilling win.
The home team's resilience was on full display as they clung to their lead in the final seconds of regulation. With the score tied at 87-87, Isaiah Dorceus stole the ball from Jaden Jackson and kicked it out to Josh Dixon, who nailed a deep three-pointer to seal the win for Milwaukee.
Milwaukee dominated the paint throughout the contest, outscoring South Dakota State 20-38 in points in the paint. The Coyotes' struggles to contain Danilo Jovanovich proved costly, as he chipped in with 17 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.
In contrast, S Dakota St struggled from beyond the arc, making just 4-of-13 three-point attempts (30.8%). Kalen Garry did his best to keep the Coyotes afloat, scoring 18 points and dishing out 8 assists, but it wasn't enough to counter Milwaukee's balanced attack.
Josh Dixon led the way for Milwaukee with 24 points on 44.4% shooting from the field. Danilo Jovanovich added 17 points and 8 rebounds to round out a strong performance from the home team.
The game saw several key moments throughout, including a pivotal halftime push by South Dakota State that trimmed the deficit to just one point. However, Milwaukee's defense stiffened in the second half, holding S Dakota St to just 27 points while managing to stay ahead.
In the end, it was the Coyotes' inability to find consistent three-point range that proved costly. Despite their valiant effort, South Dakota State fell just short in a thrilling contest that will be remembered for its dramatic finish.
Box Score:
* Milwaukee: 32/69 FG (46.0%), 21/43 2-PT FG (48.8%), 11/26 3-PT FG (42.0%)
* South Dakota State: 33/66 FG (50.0%), 20/33 2-PT FG (60.6%), 13/33 3-PT FG (39.0%)
Game Leaders:
* Milwaukee:
+ Josh Dixon - 24 points
+ Danilo Jovanovich - 17 points, 8 rebounds
+ Isaiah Dorceus - 7 assists
* South Dakota State:
+ Kalen Garry - 18 points, 8 assists