January 14, 2015

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Briar Cliff (Iowa), ranked No. 25 (tie) in the latest NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, outscored Dakota State (S.D.) 50-18 inside the paint in 83-63 non-conference victory at Newman Flanagan Center.  The Chargers swept the season series with the Lady T's.

Dakota State fell to 8-10 overall record while Briar Cliff improved their overall record to 15-5.

The Chargers opened up a 10-point lead at 20-10 with twelve minutes and forty-six seconds left in the first-half.  DSU answered back with a 12-4 scoring run to cut their deficit at 24-22 after a 3-pointer by Courtney Hulstein (JR/Fulda, Minn.) with 7:35 left before intermission.

BCU closed the first-half with a 16-5 spurt to gain a 40-27 halftime advantage.  The Chargers shot 48.5 percent from the field (16-of-33) in the first half compared to the Lady T's 35.7 percent (10-of-28).

Briar Cliff never trailed in the game, earning their biggest lead of the game at 73-41 with 7:23 remaining.

The Lady T's closed the game with a 23-9 scoring run.

BreeAna Olson (SO/Nunda, S.D.) led DSU with 14 points.  Erin Rabenberg (SR/Glenham, S.D.) added 13 points on her 5-for-9 field goal shooting, including 3-for-6 from the 3-point range.  Sharee Galbraith (JR/Winner, S.D.) chipped in nine points.  Madison Walford (FR/Devils Lake, N.D.) scored six points.

Walford and Galbraith each grabbed six rebounds for Dakota State.  Olson added four rebounds. 

Olson stole the ball four times and dished out three assists for the Lady T's.  Galbraith had three assists.

Slone Masters had a game-high 22 points for the Chargers (7-for-8 field goals and 7-for-7 free-throws).  Lexi Henschke added 12 points.  Jessi Corrick had 11 points.  Kortney Classen scored 10 points off the bench.

Masters earned nine boards for Briar Cliff.  Molly Snoozy added five rebounds.

Corrick, Kaylee Blake, Henschke and Chante Williams each recorded three assists for BCU.  Corrick had three steals.

Briar Cliff shot 50 percent overall from the field, making 31 field goals in 62 attempts.  Dakota State was 21-of-59 from the field (35.6 percent). 

The Lady T's were 7-for-24 from the 3-point line (29.2 percent).  The Chargers were held to 2-for-13 from the 3-point arc (15.4 percent).

BCU converted 19-of-24 free-throws (79.2 percent) compared to DSU 14-of-20 free-throws (70 percent).

Dakota State plays their final non-conference game of the season on Saturday afternoon.  The Lady T's visit Trinity Bible (N.D.) at Ray Ulmer Fieldhouse in Ellendale, N.D. with a tip-off starting at 1 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director