November 27, 2015

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Northwestern (Iowa) pulled away from Dakota State (S.D.) after using a 24-9 second quarter scoring outburst for a 93-61 victory Friday evening on the first day of the Northwestern (Iowa) Women's Basketball Classic.  The classic was held at the Bultman Center on the campus of Northwestern.

Dakota State fell to 7-3 overall record.  The Red Raiders – member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference and receiving votes to the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll – lifted their overall record to 5-3.

BreeAna Olson and Sharee Galbraith each made a field goal to give the Lady T's a 4-0 lead in the first 46 seconds of the game.  Then NWIA went on a 9-0 run to grab a 9-4 lead with 7:27 on the clock in the first quarter.

The Red Raiders held a 22-19 lead after the end of the first quarter.  There were four ties and three lead changes in the opening quarter.  DSU shot 46.7 percent (7-of-15) compared to NWIA 42.9 percent (9-of-21).

Northwestern opened the second quarter with a 12-2 scoring run to gain a double-digit lead at 32-21 with less than six minutes left before halftime.

The Lady T's answered with a 7-2 scoring spurt to trim their deficit to 34-28 with 4:33 left in the second quarter.  NWIA went on to close the first-half by shutting down DSU 12-0 in the final 4:09 for a 46-28 halftime lead.

The Red Raiders shot 48.7 percent from the field (19-of-39) in the first-half compared to the Lady T's 37.9 percent (11-of-29).

Trailing 55-34 in the third quarter, Dakota State went on to score eight consecutive points (a pair of free-throws by Kennedy Wagner and a pair of 3-point baskets by Olson) to cut down NWIA's lead to 55-42 with 4:30 on the clock. 

Northwestern used another strong quarter closing run by outscoring DSU 16-7 for a 71-49 lead by the end of the third quarter.

The Red Raiders scored 22 points in the final quarter while the Lady T's had 12 points in the final quarter.

Olson poured in a game-high 21 points for Dakota State.  She was 9-of-12 shooting from the field, including a perfect 2-of-2 from the 3-point line and 1-of-1 from the free-throw line.  Galbraith added eight points.  Madison Walford and Kendra Lindblad each tallied six points.

Galbraith pulled down five rebounds for the Lady T's.  Jordan Hansen earned three rebounds.

Wagner and Hansen each dished out two assists for DSU.  Olson stole the ball five times.  Hansen added three steals.

Galbraith, Shelby Vogel and Kelley Criddle each had a blocked shot for the Lady T's.

Four NWIA players scored in double digits led by Kassidy De Jong with 17 points (7-of-9 from the field).  Whitney Vander Maten added 16 points.  Katy Kuiper and Haley Birks each registered 10 points off the bench.

De Jong collected nine rebounds for the Red Raiders.  Arianne Gesell added six rebounds.

Renee Maneman produced 11 assists and recorded five steals for Northwestern. 

NWIA shot 52.9 percent overall from the field (37-of-70) compared to DSU 39.7 percent (23-of-58). 

The Red Raiders made 14 free-throws in 18 attempts (77.8 percent).  The Lady T's went to the free-throw line 15 times, making 12 free-throws (80 percent).

Northwestern outrebounded Dakota State 45-31 in the game.  The Red Raiders outscored the Lady T's 42-24 inside the paint and 41-22 in bench points.

DSU looks to bounce back in the winning column Saturday afternoon as they play on the second day of the Northwestern Classic.  The Lady T's face another member of the GPAC conference versus No. 15-ranked College of Saint Mary (Neb.).  Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at Bultman Center in Orange City, Iowa.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director