January 20, 2017
Photos credits by Donald Weidler
MADISON, S.D. – Nationally-ranked Jamestown (N.D.) remained undefeated in North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball conference Friday evening, rolling past Dakota State (S.D.) 91-60 at DSU Fieldhouse. Both teams kicked off their second half portion of the North Star conference schedule.
Dakota State dropped their overall record to 4-16 and 2-7 record in the North Star conference games. Jamestown, ranked No. 13 in the latest NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, won their fourth straight game to raise their overall record to 14-4 and 9-0 record in NSAA.
Jamestown and Dakota State went through three ties and two lead changes in the first six minutes and twenty-seven seconds of the game. With DSU leading 10-8, UJ went on to score seven straight points to take a 15-10 lead with 2:35 on the clock.
The Jimmies held a 17-12 lead by the end of the first quarter. Both teams struggled from the field with UJ shooting 33.3 percent (7-of-21), while DSU shot 17.6 percent from the field (3-of-17) in the first ten minutes of the game.
The Lady T's kicked off the second period with a 5-0 scoring run after a field goal by Kennedy Wagner and a 3-pointer by Cassie Jones, tying the game at 17-17 with 9:02 on the clock.
UJ Jimmies responded with a 10-0 surge, grabbing the first double-digit lead of the game after a 3-point play by Taylor Hammer for 27-17 UJ lead with 4:38 remaining before halftime.
Jamestown outscored Dakota State 20-11 in the second quarter to take a 37-23 halftime advantage. UJ was 35 percent from the field (14-of-40) while DSU was held to 26.7 percent field goal shooting (8-of-30).
Britley Plautz started the third quarter with two straight field goals for DSU. Jones followed with another lay-up, sparking the Lady T's 6-0 run to reduce their deficit into single-digit at 37-29 with 9:06 on the clock.
UJ maintained control between 8- and 14-point lead in the third period. Bryn Woodside drained a 3-pointer as third quarter expired, stretching their lead to 63-49.
Both teams scored 26 points in the third quarter. The Lady T's shot a blazing 11-of-16 from the field (68.8 percent) in the first ten minutes of the second-half compared to the Jimmies' 10-of-18 field goals (55.6 percent).
Jamestown started the fourth quarter with a 10-0 outburst and never looked back. UJ outscored DSU 28-11 in the final ten minutes of the game to secure the win.
UJ shot 51.4 percent from the field (19-of-37) in the second-half, while DSU was 16-of-32 field goals (50 percent).
BreeAna Olson led the Lady T's with 16 points on her 7-of-12 field goal shooting and 2-of-2 free-throws. Jones added 13 points. Plautz scored 11 points off the bench (4-of-8 field goals and 3-of-4 free-throws). Jamie Tebben scored six points. Wagner, Kelsey Poppen and Kelsey Criddle each tallied four points.
Plautz grabbed eight rebounds for Dakota State. Tebben and Wagner each added seven rebounds. Wagner recorded three blocks. Plautz had two blocks.
Wagner, Olson and Shemika Frazier dished out three assists for DSU. Olson stole the ball four times.
Four starters scored in double figures for the Jimmies. Hammer registered a double-double of 15 points and earned 12 rebounds. Kyra Dewald scored 17 points. Alexis Watts had 16 points. Bryn Woodside tallied 12 points.
Jenna Doyle had nine points and pulled down 10 rebounds off the bench for UJ. She had two blocks.
Watts contributed four assists for Jamestown. Hammer and Dewald each recorded three steals.
Jamestown shot 42.9 percent overall from the field (33-of-77) compared to Dakota State 38.7 percent (24-of-62). UJ was 7-of-25 3-pointers while DSU was 1-of-6 3-pointers.
The Jimmies converted 18-of-24 free-throws (75 percent). The Lady T's were 11-of-15 from the free-throw line (73.3 percent).
UJ outrebounded DSU 51-36 in the game. The Jimmies outscored the Lady T's 30-17 in points off turnovers and 16-8 in second-chance points.
Dakota State looks to bounce back in the winning column Saturday afternoon as they continue their NSAA action at DSU Fieldhouse. The Lady T's host Presentation (S.D.) with a tip-off starting at 3 p.m.
Jamestown heads to Lewy Lee Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m., visiting Mayville State (N.D.) in a North Star conference game.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
