February 28, 2026

BUTTE, Mont. — No. 3 seed Carroll (Mont.) erased a 17-point first-half deficit and rode a torrid second-half surge to an 87-81 win over No. 6 seed Dakota State (S.D.) on Saturday night in the Frontier Conference men’s basketball postseason quarterfinal contest at the Butte Civic Center.

Dakota State controlled the first 20 minutes, shooting better than 50 percent from the field and building a 49-37 halftime lead behind hot perimeter shooting and productive bench play. The Trojans led by as many as 17 points late in the first quarter and appeared in command after Brayden Pankonen buried a pair of early 3-pointers to stake them to a 6-0 start and set the tone offensively.

Carroll (20-9 overall record) flipped the game after the break, outscoring Dakota State 50-32 in the second half behind efficient shooting from the arc and at the free-throw line. The Saints finished 11-for-26 (42.3 percent) from 3-point range and 20-for-25 (80 percent) at the line, trimming the margin gradually before finally overtaking the Trojans in the closing minutes. Carroll committed just 10 turnovers to Dakota State’s 16 and generated 15 points off giveaways, helping offset a sizable rebounding disadvantage.

Drew Jones keyed the comeback with a team-high 23 points for Carroll, knocking down five 3-pointers and going a perfect 8-for-8 at the free-throw line. His go-ahead 3 with 3:16 remaining in the second half pushed the Saints in front during a tense stretch as the lead changed hands, and he later sealed the outcome with two free throws with three seconds left to set the final margin at 87-81. Isaiah Crane added 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting and pulled down six rebounds, giving Carroll a reliable interior and midrange option to complement Jones’ perimeter scoring.

Dakota State still had chances to regain control late. The Trojans, who shot 50.9 percent from the field (29-for-57 field goals), leaned on standout forward Nathan Ojukwu, who finished with a game-high 26 points on 8-for-13 shooting and 10-for-15 at the line, along with five rebounds. Pankonen supplied 18 points, including four 3-pointers in six attempts, and went 4-for-4 at the stripe, while Lukas Morgan added 14 points and a game-best nine rebounds as Dakota State won the battle on the glass 34-20 and posted 40 points in the paint.

Carroll’s perimeter efficiency ultimately erased those interior advantages. After Isaac Round hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half to cut the deficit to 12, he delivered another critical make from long range with 1:07 left in the game, stretching the Saints’ lead to 84-79 and forcing Dakota State to foul in the final minute. Carroll closed it out at the line, finishing plus-12 in free-throw percentage and using balanced scoring — including 29 points from the bench — to withstand Dakota State’s early surge.

Dakota State’s largest lead came with 4:36 left in the first quarter, but Carroll’s composure and second-half shot-making turned the matchup into a statement rally in postseason play.

As the Frontier Conference tournament advances, the Saints face No. 7 seed MSU-Northern Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) for a spot to Monday's championship game.

Dakota State ends their season at 18-10 overall record.