January 27, 2016

VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Valley City State (N.D.) opened up with an eleven-point lead after the first quarter Wednesday evening at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse and never looked back to defeat Dakota State (S.D.) 82-69 in the North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball conference game.  The Lady T's concluded their six-game road trip with a 2-4 record.

Dakota State dropped their second straight game, falling to 12-10 overall record and 4-2 NSAA conference record.  Valley City State improved their overall record to 12-7 and 5-1 NSAA record.

The Vikings scored its first six points of the game for a 6-0 lead with seven minutes and eighteen minutes on the clock in the first period.  BreeAna Olson scored the next five points as DSU trimmed VCSU's lead to 6-5 with 6:32 to go in the opening quarter.

At 17-10, VCSU scored the final four points of the first quarter to gain a double-digit lead at 21-10.  The Vikings shot 56.3 percent from the field in the first ten minutes of the game (9-of-16 from the field) and held the Lady T's to 17.6 percent shooting from the field (3-of-17).

Dakota State outscored Valley City State 21-20 in the second quarter, but the Vikings held on to a 41-31 halftime lead. 

VCSU opened the third quarter with a 10-4 run to earn the biggest lead of the game at 51-35 with 5:20 on the clock.  Lexi Lennon nailed down three throws by the end of the third period as the Vikings went on to a 66-54 lead.

Trailing 71-56, the Lady T's used a 12-3 outburst to cut Valley City State's lead to 74-68 with less than five minutes to go in the game. 

The Vikings secured the game as they closed the game with an 8-1 run in the final 3:16.

Sharee Galbraith led the Lady T's with 19 points on her 8-of-13 field goal shooting.  Olson added 13 points.  Courtney Hulstein scored 11 points (4-of-7 field goals, including 3-of-5 from the 3-point arc).  Kelsey Little had eight points off the bench.  Jordan Hansen had five points.

Madison Walford grabbed six rebounds for DSU.  Hulstein collected five rebounds.  Galbraith and Cassie Jones each had four rebounds.

Walford, Hulstein and Little each dished out two assists for Dakota State.  Olson stole the ball four times.  Walford, Hulstein and Jones each had two steals.

Six players scored in double digits for the Vikings, led by Sara Schwanke with 15 points on her 7-of-12 field goal shooting off the bench.  Lennon added a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.  Georgia Williams had 13 points.  Mackenzie Huber scored 11 points.  Courtney Dixon and Alli Candal each tallied 10 points. 

Dixon earned seven boards for VCSU.  Nisja Bass produced eight assists.  Lennon and Williams each had four assists.  Williams recorded six steals in the game.

Valley City State shot 54.8 percent overall from the field, converting 34 baskets in 62 attempts.  Dakota State was 40.3 percent from the field (27-of-67), including 50 percent from the field in the second-half.  VCSU was 7-of-14 3-pointers compared to DSU 6-of-16 from the 3-point line.

The Lady T's were 9-of-18 free-throws (50 percent), while the Vikings made 7-of-11 free-throws (63.6 percent).

VCSU outrebounded DSU 42-30.

Dakota State returns home Saturday evening as they continue their NSAA conference action.  The Lady T's host Mayville State (N.D.) with a tip-off starting at 5:30 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.  Parents' Night will be recognized at around 8-minute mark during the pre-game warm-ups.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director