December 6, 2018

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu

MADISON, S.D. – Bellevue (Neb.) used a fourth-quarter outburst to come-from-behind to defeat Dakota State (S.D.) 68-59 in the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball conference opener at DSU Fieldhouse Thursday evening.  The Bruins erased an eight-point deficit late in the third quarter and outscored the Lady T's 22-9 in the final quarter to secure the victory.

Dakota State fell to 1-7 overall record and 0-1 NSAA conference record.  Bellevue, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 8-4 and 1-0 NSAA.

Both teams struggled to establish control in the first period, with the lead no more than four points by both teams.  DSU led 8-4 after a 3-pointer by McKenzie Hermanson with seven minutes and five seconds on the clock.  BU would answer back with a 10-2 scoring run to grab a 14-10 lead.

Ashlyn Macdonald drained a 3-pointer as the Lady T's trimmed Bruins' lead to 14-13 by the end of the first quarter.

Tied at 21-21 in the second quarter, Dakota State went on a 7-2 run to grab the first-half biggest lead at 27-23 with two minutes left.

Faith Ross hit a 3-pointer as the first-half ended as BU cut DSU's lead to 31-30. 

Hermanson kicked off the third quarter with a 3-pointer for Lady T's 34-30 lead, but the Bruins answered back with a 4-0 run for the third tie of the game at 34-34.

DSU scored six straight points to increase their lead to 40-34 after a 3-point play by Macdonald with less than seven minutes left in the third.

Macdonald drained a 3-pointer to open up a 48-40 lead with 3:07 left in the third quarter.

Bellevue rallied back to cut Dakota State's lead down to 48-46.  Jessi Giles made a basket to give Lady T's a 50-46 and prevented the Bruins to score in the final seconds of the third period, thanks to a pair of blocked shots by Cassie Hand.

With DSU leading 52-48, the Bruins held the Lady T's scoreless for a span of seven-plus minutes.  Bellevue stormed back by scoring 13 consecutive points to earn a 61-52 lead with 1:31 remaining after a basket by Jamie Winkler.

The Lady T's ended their scoring drought with a 3-pointer by Hermanson with 1:18 left (DSU trailed 61-55).

Bellevue secured the game by making all seven free-throws in the final 50 seconds of the game.  The Bruins converted 12-of-14 free-throws in the fourth quarter.

Hermanson scored 12 points for Dakota State.  Giles added 10 points.  Macdonald and Alexis Evans each tallied nine points.  Hand had seven points and two blocks off the bench.

Macdonald registered game-highs 12 rebounds and seven assists for the Lady T's.  Evans and Raven Patton each pulled down six rebounds.  Alexis Robson stole the ball three times.  Giles and Macdonald each had two steals.

Elexis Martinez sparked the Bruins with 19 points (7-of-12 field goals and 5-of-6 free-throws).  Morgan Cuffe added 18 points, thanks to 12-of-14 from the free-throw line.  Winkler had 10 points.

Martinez collected nine rebounds and recorded two blocks for Bellevue.  Shayla Dean recorded four steals. 

Both teams struggled offensively from the field.  The Bruins shot 38.3 percent (23-of-60) compared to the Lady T's 30.8 percent (20-of-65).  DSU hit 11 3-pointers in 35 attempts (31.4 percent) while BU was 3-of-24 3-pointers (12.5 percent).

Bellevue converted 19-of-22 free-throws (86.4 percent).  Dakota State was 8-of-15 from the free-throw line (53.3 percent).

The Lady T's outrebounded the Bruins 49-40 (22-12 on offensive boards). 

Dakota State steps out of their North Star conference play and stays at home on Sunday afternoon.  The Lady T's host Briar Cliff (Iowa) at DSU Fieldhouse.  Tip-off is set for 3 p.m.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director