January 21, 2015

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu and Tyler Flaagan

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

MADISON, S.D. – Five different Dakota State (S.D.) players scored in double digits Wednesday evening in cruising to an 82-55 victory over Presentation (S.D.) in both teams' North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) conference opener at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Lady T's shot at least 50 percent in both halves, earning their 10th victory of the season.

Dakota State moved back to .500 with an overall record of 10-10 and 1-0 NSAA conference record.  Presentation dropped to 6-8 overall record and 0-1 NSAA.

After the Saints earned their only lead of the game at 2-0 after Krystan Gomez's basket, the Lady T's went on a 15-6 scoring run to grab a 15-7 lead with thirteen minutes and four seconds left in the first-half.  DSU used five different scorers – BreeAna Olson, Erin Rabenberg, Sharee Galbraith and Courtney Hulstein – during their scoring run.

Leading 32-24, DSU closed the first-half with a 7-3 run to gain a 12-point halftime lead at 39-27. 

Dakota State shot 50 percent from the field in the first-half, making 17 baskets in 34 attempts.  Presentation was held to 37.9 percent shooting (11-of-29).

PC could get no closer than 10 points at 39-29 with 19:19 left as the Lady T's maintained their double digits lead for the rest of the game.

At 44-33, DSU exploded with a 30-9 run to gain the biggest lead of the game at 74-42 after Kennedy Wagner nailed down a pair of free-throws with 6:14 remaining (span of 11:16 during DSU's scoring run).

The Lady T's outscored the Saints 43-28 in the second-half, thanks to DSU's blazing 56.3 percent shooting from the field (18-of-32).  PC went 9-for-28 from the field, shooting at 32.1 percent.

Dakota State was led by Rabenberg with 16 points on her 7-for-11 shooting from the field (2-for-6 from the 3-point line).  Swenson added 12 points (5-for-8 field goals).  Hulstein scored 11 points off the bench.  Madison Walford and Galbraith each tallied 10 points.

Galbraith, who was named to NSAA Women's Basketball Player-of-the-Week earlier this week, dished out a game-high six assists for the Lady T's.  Hulstein, Kendra Lindblad and Wagner each added four assists.

It was the second time in more a week that the Lady T's had contributed at least three points and produced an assist in the game (versus Oglala Lakota, S.D. on Jan. 12).

Swenson and Galbraith each pulled down eight rebounds for DSU.  Walford earned seven boards.  Galbraith had three blocked shots.

Walford, Rabenberg and Jordan Hansen each stole the ball three times for Dakota State. 

Haley Forelich poured in 21 points for the Saints.  She was 8-of-17 from the field (2-for-6 from the 3-point arc) and made all three free-throw attempts.  Sydney Larson and Jackie Miller each added eight points.

Gomez and Froelich each recorded four assists for Presentation. 

Forelich grabbed six rebounds for PC.  Larson, Rachel Fuhrmann and Gomez each had four rebounds. 

Larson and Fuhrmann each had three steals for the Saints.

Dakota State shot 53 percent overall from the field, converting 35 field goals in 66 attempts.  DSU had 28 assists on 35 field goals in the game.  Presentation was held to 35.1 percent shooting (20-of-57, 16 assists). 

The Lady T's were 6-of-23 from the 3-point line compared to the Saints 4-of-12 3-pointers.

PC went to the free-throw line 13 times, making 11 free-throws (84.6 percent).  DSU was 6-of-9 free-throws (66.7 percent).

DSU outscored PC 29-10 in bench points and 44-24 inside the paint.  The Lady T's outrebounded the Saints 41-29.

Dakota State heads on the road Saturday, visiting Dickinson State (N.D.) in both teams' first-ever NSAA conference meeting.  Both Lady T's and Blue Hawks were in the former Dakota Athletic Conference and will renew the conference meeting for the first time since Feb. 4, 2011.  Tip-off from the Scott Gymnasium is set for 5 p.m. (Central Time)/4 p.m. (Mountain Time) in Dickinson, N.D.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director