BILLINGS — Dickinson State came back from a double-digit first-half deficit on Saturday afternoon to defeat Montana Western, 78-67, in the Hampton Inn Green and Gold Classic on the campus of Rocky Mountain College.
Montana Western grabbed a 10-point lead midway through the first half, but Dickinson State finished the half on a 24-6 run to grab an eight-point advantage at the break.
The Blue Hawks controlled the pace for much of the second half and saw their lead grow to as many as 18 in the final minutes of the game, largely due to shooting the cover off the ball in the second half.
Dickinson State hit 15 of 22 shots in the second half and shot nearly 54 percent for the game. The Blue Hawks clamped down on the other end of the floor, holding Western to 41 percent shooting.
The Blue Hawks had five players in double figures, led by Melvin Collins’s 16 points, and 14 points apiece from Kenny Jackson and Donte Walker. Collins grabbed five rebounds, too.
Kooper Kidgell finished with a game-high 23 points in the losing effort, adding five assists and three rebounds. Troy Scott was the only other Western player in double figures, scoring 13 points off the bench and pulling down a team-high six rebounds.
Montana Western falls to 5-7 on the season and will play The King’s University on Saturday. Dickinson State moves to 4-7 on the year and will play Rocky Mountain College on Saturday.
