January 17, 2016

Photos credits by Kaden Huntrods

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Top-ranked Morningside (Iowa) shot 55.4 percent overall from the field Sunday afternoon, rolling to a 105-57 non-conference victory over Dakota State (S.D.) at RVSC-Allee Gym.  It was the final non-conference tune-up before DSU heads into a full schedule of North Star Athletic Association conference play, starting later this week.

Dakota State fell to 11-8 overall record.  Morningside, NAIA Division II Women's Basketball defending champion from the Great Plains Athletic Conference, raised their overall record to 19-1.

Madison Walford nailed down a pair of free-throws as the Lady T's earned the first lead at 2-0 with nine minutes and seventeen seconds in the opening quarter.

After the Mustangs scored five straight points, DSU regained their lead at 9-7 after a 3-point shot by Kendra Lindblad with 7:08 on the clock in the first period.

MC went on a 7-0 scoring run to overtake the lead from the Lady T's at 16-9 with five minutes to go in the first quarter.  Morningside grabbed a 23-15 lead by the end of the first quarter.

The Mustangs made 10-of-15 shots (66.7 percent) in the first ten minutes of the game while the Lady T's were 5-of-15 from the field (33.3 percent).

Morningside outscored Dakota State 32-11 in the second quarter for a 55-26 halftime advantage.

MC scored 50 points in the second-half while DSU tallied 31 points.

Walford led the Lady T's with 16 points.  She was 6-of-9 from the field and went perfect at the free-throw line, going 4-for-4.  Lindblad added 10 points (4-of-8 field goals, including 2-of-4 3-point field goals).  Kennedy Wagner scored eight points off the bench.  Cassie Jones had six points.

Walford collected eight rebounds in the game for DSU.  Wagner and Kelley Criddle each had three rebounds.  Sharee Galbraith and Walford each recorded two blocked shots.

Lindblad dished out four assists and stole the ball five times for Dakota State.  Kelsey Little had three assists.

Madison Braun netted 16 points and earned six boards for Morningside.  Jessica Tietz and Lexi Ackerman each added 14 points.  Jordyn Wollenburg had nine points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Wollenburg and Ackerman each produced five assists for MC.  Tietz, Braun and Lauren Lehmkulh each recorded three steals.

Morningside shot 41-of-74 from the field and 12-of-24 from the 3-point arc.  Dakota State was 23-of-57 field goals (40.4 percent) and 2-of-16 3-pointers.  MC was 11-of-13 free-throws (84.6 percent) compared to DSU 9-of-12 free-throws (75 percent).

The Mustangs outrebounded the Lady T's 38-30.

DSU outscored MC 13-4 in fast-break points.

Dakota State heads to Aberdeen, S.D. Wednesday evening to begin their full schedule of NSAA conference play.  The Lady T's continue their six-game road trip, visiting Presentation (S.D.) at Strode Center.  Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director