February 7, 2015

ABERDEEN, S.D. – The Dakota State University Lady T's basketball team roared to a 20-0 lead to kick off the second-half portion of the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Women's Basketball conference schedule at the Strode Center with Presentation (S.D.).  The Lady T's never looked back, ending their four-game losing skid with a 75-56 victory over the Saints.

Dakota State improved their overall record to 11-14 and 2-4 NSAA conference record.  Presentation, who recorded their first-ever NSAA conference victory at Dickinson State (N.D.) on Feb. 4, fell to 7-12 overall record and 1-5 NSAA record.

The Lady T's scored the first 20 points of the game – thanks to the first nine consecutive points from Madison Walford – for a 20-0 lead with fourteen minutes and thirty-seven seconds on the clock in the first-half.  The Saints missed their first nine shots of the game and committed four turnovers during DSU's scoring run.

PC ended their scoring drought with a basket by Rachel Fuhrmann with 14:20 left in first-half (20-2 DSU lead).

Dakota State had the biggest lead of the game at 26-4 after a 3-pointer by Erin Rabenberg with 13:28 left before intermission.

Trailing 28-6, Presentation went on a 17-2 scoring tear to cut DSU's lead to 30-23 with 4:25 remaining in first.

The Lady T's regained their double-digit lead with a 38-26 halftime advantage. 

After Dakota State stretched their lead by 16 points to start the second-half (42-26), Presentation scored seven straight points to cut DSU's lead to 42-33 with 15:43 remaining.

From there, it was all Lady T's who maintained their double-digits lead for the rest of the game.  DSU held their lead between 11-point and 20-point in the final 14 minutes of the game.

Dakota State outscored Presentation 37-30 in the second-half.

Walford had a season-high 26 points for the Lady T's.  She was 10-of-15 shooting from the field.  Rabenberg added 17 points.  BreeAna Olson scored 10 points.  Courtney Hulstein had eight points off the bench.

Jayda Swenson earned a career-best 13 rebounds for DSU.  Walford and Sharee Galbraith each added seven rebounds. 

Kennedy Wagner dished out five assists for the Lady T's.  Olson and Rabenberg each had four assists.

Rabenberg had a game-high five steals for Dakota State.  Olson and Wagner each had three steals. 

Galbraith recorded two blocked shots for DSU.

Haley Froelich led the Saints with 20 points.  Fuhrmann added 17 points and earned 7 rebounds.

Taalyr Egeness and Sydney Larson each recorded six rebounds for Presentation.

Froelich produced seven assists for PC.    

Dakota State shot 43.8 percent from the field, making 28 baskets in 64 attempts.  Presentation struggled from the field, shooting 34.9 percent overall (22-of-63).

The Lady T's went to the free-throw line 20 times, making 14 free-throws (70 percent).  The Saints were 7-of-11 free-throws (63.6 percent).

DSU outrebounded PC 43-33.

Dakota State continues their NSAA conference action on the road Wednesday evening.  The Lady T's visit Mayville State (N.D.) with a tip-off starting at 5:30 p.m. at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse in Mayville, N.D.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director