November 4, 2014

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

MADISON, S.D. – Trailing for the majority of the second-half Tuesday evening at DSU Fieldhouse, the Dakota State University Lady T's rallied back by closing the game with an 18-7 run for an 89-87 thriller over Dordt (Iowa).  It was the sixth straight year that the Lady T's had won a home opener.

Dakota State earned their first victory of the season after dropping their season-opener at Mount Marty (S.D.) two days earlier (Nov. 2).  Dordt dropped their first game of the season after earning a 108-62 home victory over Presentation (S.D.) on Nov. 1.

Five minutes into the game, the score was tied at 12-12.  The Defenders quickly scored seven straight points in less a minute to grab a 19-12 lead with 13:28 left in the first half.

Dakota State stormed back with a 14-0 scoring run to earn a seven-point lead at 26-19 with less than 10 minutes to go before halftime.

With the Lady T's leading at 39-32, Dordt closed the first-half with a 15-5 scoring spurt to gain a 47-43 halftime lead.

The Defenders shot 40 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes, converting 16 baskets in 40 attempts.  DSU was 14-for-37 from the field (37.8 percent).  DC drained 8 3-pointers in 15 attempts (53.3 percent), while the Lady T's shot 4-for-12 from the 3-point line (33.3 percent). 

Dordt earned the biggest lead of the game at 68-59 with 12:05 remaining.

Trailing 80-71 with 6:14 left, the Lady T's mounted a furious comeback with a 10-1 run, thanks by BreeAna Olson and Courtney Hulstein who each had five points during the scoring run – to tie the game at 81-81 with 1:46 left.

At 83-83, the Lady T's regained their lead at 85-83 after Madison Walford nailed down a shot inside the paint with a minute to go.

Dordt committed a turnover on the ensuing possession, Kennedy Wanger nailed down a pair of free-throws to extend DSU's lead to 87-83 with less than 22 seconds to play.

Another missed opportunity by the Defenders on the next possession, Sharee Galbraith added two free-throws to make it 89-83 in favor of Dakota State with 11 seconds remaining.

The Lady T's survived in the closing seconds after the Defenders scored four points in the final four seconds of the game.

Dakota State outscored Dordt 46-40 in the second-half.

DC shot 45.9 percent in the second-half (17-for-37) compared to DSU 44.4 percent (16-for-36).  The Lady T's were 5-for-12 from the 3-point line (41.7 percent), while the Defenders were held to 1-for-10 from beyond the 3-point arc (10 percent).

Galbraith had a double-double of 18 points and pulled down 15 rebounds for Dakota State.  She was 5-for-8 from the field and made all eight free-throw attempts.  Hulstein scored 24 points off the bench on her 9-for-17 shooting, including 4-for-10 from the 3-point line and nailed down both free-throws.  Wagner also scored 18 points off the bench after nailing down all three 3-pointers in the second-half.

Olson tallied nine points for the Lady T's.  Walford had eight points.  Erin Rabenberg had seven points.

Walford grabbed eight rebounds for DSU.  She had two blocked shots. 

Rabenberg dished out five assists for the lady T's.  Hulstein added three assists.  She stole the ball five times. 

Abby Chapman led the Defenders with 24 points on her 8-for-17 shooting from the field (4-for-8 from the 3-point line and recorded four free-throws).  Robyn Blount added 13 points off the bench.  Kim Kroeze had 11 points.  Paige Engbers had 10 points.

Koreze and Mycha Hulst each earned nine boards for Dordt. 

Alissa Pollema produced eight assists for DC.  Hulst stole the ball four times and recorded four blocked shots.

Dordt shot 42.9 percent overall from the field (33-for-77) compared to Dakota State 41.1 percent (30-for-73).  Both teams made nine 3-pointers.

The Lady T's went to the free-throw line 24 times, making 20 free-throws (83.3 percent).  The Defenders were 12-for-20 from the free-throw line (60 percent). 

Dordt won the rebounding battle over Dakota State 48-45.  Both teams had 12 steals in the game.

The Lady T's outscored the Defenders 47-33 in bench points. 

Dakota State head on the road this weekend as they participate in the two-day NAIA Showcase Classic, hosted by Viterbo (Wis.).  The Lady T's play Marian (Ind.) on Friday evening at 5 p.m., while play either Viterbo or Indiana Northwest on Saturday with times to be announced after Friday's night games.  The classic will be held at R.W. Beggs Senior Gymnasium in La Crosse, Wis.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director