January 6, 2018

Photos credits by Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – Nationally-ranked Valley City State (N.D.) bounced back in the winning column Saturday afternoon, surviving an upset bid by Dakota State (S.D.) in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) Women's Basketball conference action at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Vikings pulled away for a 77-69 victory over the Lady T's after closing the game with a 9-1 run.

Dakota State is 6-12 overall record and 3-3 record in the North Star conference games.  Valley City State, No. 19 in the latest NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, is 13-3 overall record and 5-2 NSAA conference record.

Valley City State opened up a 17-9 lead in the early going of the game.  Dakota State would trim their deficit down to 21-17 by the end of the first-period.  Seven different Lady T's players scored in the first ten minutes of the game.

Lexi Lennon drained a 3-pointer as VCSU started the second quarter with a 24-17 lead with 9 minutes, 34 seconds on the clock.  Kennedy Wagner hit a 3-pointer as part of DSU's 9-2 scoring run, tying the game at 28-28 with 5:33 to go in the second quarter.

The Lady T's earned the first lead of the game at 32-30 after a basket by Raven Patton with 4:08 remaining before halftime. 

VCSU held a 38-35 halftime advantage.  The Vikings shot 43.2 percent from the field in the first-half (16-of-37) and 4-of-11 from the 3-point arc.  The Lady T's were 39.4 percent from the field (13-of-33) and 5-of-13 3-pointers.

DSU's Cassie Jones opened up the third-quarter with a 3-pointer (assisted by Patton) as the game was tied for the sixth time at 38-38.  From there, the Vikings sparked a 7-0 run – with five points coming from Alli Vandal – to regain a 45-38 lead with 7:40 on the clock.

With VCSU leading 49-46, the Vikings scored six straight points to earn the biggest lead of the game at 55-46 with 1:43 to go in the third period.

A basket by Britley Plautz helped DSU reduce VCSU's lead down to six points at 57-51 by the end of the third quarter.  The Lady T's were 37.5 percent from the field in the third quarter (5-of-14 field goals), while holding the Vikings to 24 percent field goal shooting (6-fo-25 field goals).  VCSU was 7-of-7 from the free-throw line while DSU was 5-of-7 free-throws in the first ten minutes of the second half.

Mackenzie Huber made a field goal to put Vikings up 61-53 with 7:45 before the Lady T's rallied back.  DSU used a 13-4 outburst to regain a 66-65 lead with 2:38 left in the game after a 3-pointer by Shelby Vogel.

The game was knotted at 68-68 with 1:45 left.  VCSU closed the game with a 9-1 run in the final 1:24 of the game, all from the free-throw line as the Vikings went 9-of-10.

Valley City State outscored Dakota State 39-34 in the final twenty minutes of the game.

Patton led the Lady T's with 12 points (6-of-8 free-throws).  Vogel scored 11 points off the bench on her 5-of-6 field goals.  Plautz, Jones and Wagner each tallied nine points.  Vogl had seven points.  Cassie Hand scored six points.

Plautz pulled down 10 rebounds and registered two blocks for DSU.  Patton had nine rebounds and recorded a game-high five blocks.  Jamie Tebben had four rebounds.

Wagner contributed six assists for Dakota State.  She stole the ball four times.  Plautz added three assists.  Vogel had three steals.

Lennon posted a double-double of 21 points and earned 10 rebounds for the Vikings.  Vandal added 20 points and nine rebounds.  Kennedy Henningsgard had 15 points.  Huber, Kate Williams and Hannah Schlecht each scored six points.

Vandal had three blocks in the game for VCSU.  Schlecht stole the ball three times.

Both teams struggled from the field with Dakota State shooting 38.7 percent (24-of-62 field goals).  Valley City State was 34.2 percent (26-of-76).  The Lady T's were 7-of-20 from beyond the 3-point line compared to the Vikings 4-of-19 3-pointers (21.1 percent).

VCSU converted 21-of-24 free-throws, with 19-of-22 free-throws coming in the second-half.  DSU was 14-of-22 from the free-throw line (63.6 percent).

The Vikings won the battle on the board, outrebounding the Lady T's 56-39.  Valley City State outscored Dakota State 19-13 on second-chance points. 

DSU outscored VCSU 23-9 in bench points.

Dakota State steps aside their North Star conference play Tuesday evening.  The Lady T's conclude their nine-game regular-season home stand versus in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.).  Tip-off from the DSU Fieldhouse is set for 5:30 p.m.

Valley City State stays on the road next Saturday as they visit Viterbo (Wis.).  The game is set for 3 p.m. at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium in La Crosse, Wis.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director