December 16, 2017
Photos credits by Donald Weidler
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) led wire-to-wire Saturday afternoon, holding off Bellevue's (Neb.) fourth-quarter surge for a 62-57 North Star Athletic Association women's basketball conference victory at DSU Fieldhouse. The Lady T's held the Bruins to a season-low 22.5 percent field goal shooting in the third all-time meeting.
Dakota State earned their first-ever victory over Bellevue. The Lady T's won their second straight North Star conference game, lifting their overall record to 5-9 and 2-1 record with a third-place in the league standings. The Bruins fell to 7-7 overall record and 1-2 NSAA conference record.
The Lady T's opened up the game with a 5-0 run after a field goal by Britley Plautz and a 3-pointer by Kennedy Wagner. The Bruins – who missed the first six shots of the game – did not make their first basket of the game until 6 minutes, 22 seconds mark on the clock after a field goal by Elexis Martinez.
DSU gained a 15-6 lead after the first quarter. BU was held to 3-of-18 from the field (16.7 percent) in the first ten minutes of the game (DSU was 35.7 percent from the field, 5-of-14 field goals).
Dakota State took their first double-digit lead of the game after a 3-pointer by Raven Patton to kick off the second quarter, ballooning their lead to 18-6 with 8:34 on the clock. The Lady T's stretched their lead to 25-11 after a basket by Patton, the largest lead of the first-half with 5:05 left before intermission.
The Lady T's held a 31-21 halftime advantage over the Bruins. Both teams struggled from the field in the first half with DSU was 10-of-33 field goals (30.3 percent) compared to BU 7-of-32 field goals (21.9 percent).
A lay-up by Plautz (assisted by Wagner) gave DSU its biggest lead of the game at 45-30 with 3:41 to go in the third quarter.
After a 3-pointer by BU Shayla Dean to trim DSU's lead to 47-39, the Lady T's closed the third quarter with a 4-0 run in the final 37 seconds after a pair of free-throws each by Plautz and Wagner. DSU led 51-39 after three quarters.
DSU was 6-of-10 from the field (60 percent) in the first ten minutes of the second-half while holding BU to a dismal 22.7 field goal percentage (5-of-22 field goals).
Jamie Tebben converted a field goal (assisted by Patton) to start the fourth quarter with a 53-39 lead with 8:49 remaining. From there, the Bruins sparked an 8-0 run as they trimmed their deficit down to six points at 53-47 with 5:54 left.
Plautz hit two free-throws to give the Lady T's a 60-51 lead over the Bruins with 1:11 remaining. The Bruins hit back-to-back 3-pointers by Jamie Winkler and Dean as they cut DSU's lead down to 60-57 with less than 20 seconds to go.
Dakota State would secure the game as Cassie Jones nailed down a pair of free-throws to extend their lead to 62-57 with less than 15 seconds left.
BU outscored DSU 18-11 in the final period.
The Lady T's were 9-of-19 from the field in the second-half (47.4 percent) compared to the Bruins 9-of-39 field goals (23.1 percent). DSU was perfect 10-of-10 from the field in the final twenty minutes, while BU was 13-of-20 free-throws.
Plautz poured in a career-high 21 points for Dakota State. She was 8-of-10 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. Lindsey Vogl added 14 points. Wagner tallied nine points. Patton scored eight points.
Patton tied her season-high 12 rebounds for the Lady T's. Jones added eight rebounds. Tebben earned seven boards. Plautz and Wagner each registered two blocked shots.
Patton contributed four assist for DSU. Wagner added three assists. Wanger and Vogl each stole the ball twice.
Caletria Curtis posted a double-double of 19 points and collected 10 rebounds for Bellevue. Dean added 11 points. Martinez and Taylor Cormier each had six points. Cormier had six rebounds.
Morgan Cuffe dished out three assists for the Bruins. Dean stole the ball five times. Beth Walker and Cormier each had three steals.
Dakota State was 19-of-52 from the field overall (36.5 percent) compared to Bellevue 16-of-71 field goals. The Lady T's were 6-of-18 from the 3-point arc, while the Bruins were 5-of-22 3-pointers.
BU went to the free-throw line 33 times, making 20 free-throws (60.6 percent). DSU was 18-of-22 free-throws (81.8 percent).
The Lady T's outrebounded the Bruins 51-46 in the game.
Both teams scored 20 points inside the paint. BU outscored DSU 19-10 in second-chance points and 18-6 in bench points.
Dakota State continues their home stand Sunday afternoon as they host No. 23-ranked Mayville State (N.D.) in NSAA action. The game is set to tip off at 2 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.
Bellevue heads to Forest City, Iowa Sunday to take on Waldorf (Iowa) in the North Star contest. Tip-off from the Hanson Fieldhouse is slated to start at 3 p.m.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
