November 28, 2015

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) Lady T's basketball team built a nine-point first-quarter lead Saturday afternoon in the Northwestern (Iowa) Classic, but the nationally-ranked College of Saint Mary (Neb.) rallied back for an 87-81 victory.  DSU held a six-point halftime lead, but the Flames outscored the Lady T's 52-40 in the final 20 minutes of the game.

Dakota State dropped their second straight game, falling to 7-4 overall record.  College of Saint Mary, newcomer to the Great Plains Athletic Conference and ranked No. 15 in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 national poll, completed the classic with a sweep over a pair of North Star Athletic Association foes (defeated Valley City State, N.D. Friday evening) to raise their overall record to 5-4.

Leading 17-14, DSU scored the final six points of the first quarter to gain a 23-14 lead over CSM.  Both teams shot below 40 percent in the first quarter (CSM – 35.3 percent; DSU – 36.8 percent), but the Lady T's were 7-of-10 from the free-throw line while the Flames did not attempt a free-throw.

College of Saint Mary used a 9-2 opening second quarter run to cut DSU's lead to 25-23 with six minutes and twenty-five seconds left before halftime.  The Lady T's answered back by extending their lead to 41-35 by intermission.

The Flames were 42.9 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes of the game (15-of-35) compared to the Lady T's 36.6 percent (15-of-41).  Dakota State outrebounded College of Saint Mary 30-17 in the first-half, including pulling down 11 offensive rebounds.

DSU regained their largest lead of the game for the second time at 49-40 after a 3-pointer by Kendra Lindblad with 8:22 left in the third quarter.

The Flames responded back by closing the third quarter with a 22-11 scoring run to overtake a 62-60 lead from the Lady T's.

With the fifth tied recorded in the game at 64-64 with 8:02 remaining, CSM pulled away with a 13-6 run to take a 77-70 lead with 1:21 left in the game.  The Flames secured the game by outscoring the Lady T's 25-21 in the final ten minutes.

College of Saint Mary took advantage by going to the free-throw line 25 times, making 20 free-throws (80 percent) in the second-half.  The Flames were 38.9 percent shooting from the field (14-of-36).  Dakota State was 1-of-2 free-throws in the last twenty minutes and shot 42.5 percent from the field (17-of-40).

Sharee Galbraith produced a double-double of 23 points and earned 13 boards for DSU.  She shot 10-of-17 from the field, including draining three 3-pointers in five attempts.  Galbraith had three blocked shots.

BreeAna Olson added 19 points for the Lady T's.  Lindblad had 14 points.  Madison Walford scored 11 points.

Kennedy Wagner dished out five assists and pulled down seven rebounds for Dakota State.  Lindblad and Olson each dished out three assists.  Olson had six rebounds and three steals.

Justice Ross poured in 23 points for the Flames.  She made all 12 free-throw attempts.  Deaundra Young had a double-double of 18 points and collected 14 rebounds.  Peyton Hagen had 16 points.  Shelby Allberry scored 14 points.

Allberry, Pilar Adrich and Ross each recorded seven rebounds for CSM. 

Aldrich and Ross each produced three assists for College of Saint Mary.  Ross and Young each stole the ball three times.

CSM shot 40.8 percent overall from the field (29-of-71) compared to DSU 39.5 percent (32-of-81).  The Lady T's were 9-of-29 from the 3-point line (31 percent), while the Flames were 7-of-20 3-pointers (35 percent).

College of Saint Mary was 22-of-27 free-throws (81.5 percent).  DSU was 8-of-12 from the free-throw line (66.7 percent).

The Lady T's outrebounded the Flames 48-45.  DSU outscored CSM 36-28 inside the paint.

Dakota State returns home next Sunday (Dec. 6) as they host their in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) for the second meeting of the season.  The non-conference contest is set to tip off at 6 p.m. in Madison, S.D.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director