January 28, 2015

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) earned a 26-23 halftime lead in North Star Athletic Association women's basketball conference action at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse, but it was Valley City State (N.D.) who dominated the Lady T's in the second-half for the victory.  The Vikings outscored DSU 39-19 in the final twenty minutes of the game for a 62-45 NSAA conference win Wednesday evening.

Dakota State dropped to 10-12 overall record and 1-2 NSAA conference record.  Valley City State, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 14-7 and 2-1 NSAA conference record.

Sharee Galbraith scored the first five points of the game to give Dakota State a 5-0 lead.  The Lady T's extended to the largest lead of the first half at 9-2.

The Vikings answered back with a 14-3 scoring run to gain a 16-12 lead midway through the first-half.

Dakota State would regained their lead back by closing the first-half with a 14-7 spurt, holding a three-point lead at halftime (26-23). 

The Lady T's were 39.3 percent from the field (11-of-28) compared to the Vikings 30.3 percent (10-of-33) in the first-half.

VCSU exploded with a 28-6 run to kick off the second-half, building a 51-32 lead with 8:38 left in the game.

The Vikings, who led as many as 21 points (62-41 with less than two minutes left), secured the victory by holding DSU to 30.8 percent shooting in the second-half.  VCSU was 13-of-17 free-throws in the final twenty minutes while the Lady T's were 2-of-3 free-throws.

Galbraith led Dakota State with 12 points.  She had three blocked shots in the game.  Erin Rabenberg added eight points.  Jayda Swenson scored six points.  BreeAna Olson and Kennedy Wagner each had four points.

Galbraith and Rabenberg each pulled down five rebounds for DSU.  Swenson and Courtney Hulstein each had four rebounds.

Rabenberg produced three assists for the Lady T's.  She stole the ball three times.  Swenson had two steals.

Steph Pedereson tallied 12 points and recorded three steals for the Vikings.  Georgia Williams and Lexi Lennon each had eight points.  Courtney Dixon scored seven points off the bench.

Dixon grabbed nine rebounds for VCSU.  Sierra Even added six rebounds and dished out seven assists.

Both teams struggled from the field, shooting below 40 percent in the game.  Valley City State shot 22-of-62 from the field (35.5 percent), while Dakota State was 19-of-54 from the field (35.2 percent).  The Vikings were 4-of-17 from the 3-point line (23.5 percent) compared to the Lady T's 2-of-19 3-pointers (10.5 percent).

VCSU went to free-throw line 21 total times in the game, making 14 free-throws (66.7 percent).  DSU was 5-of-9 free-throws (55.6 percent).

Valley City State dominated on the board, outrebounding Dakota State 51-32.  The Vikings had 18 offensive boards while the Lady T's had four offensive rebounds.  VCSU outscored DSU 22-2 in second-chance points.

Dakota State returns home to kick off their two-game home stand in NSAA conference action.  The Lady T's host Mayville State (N.D.) with a tip-off starting at 4 p.m.  The game will be held at DSU Fieldhouse.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director