January 12, 2019
MAYVILLE, N.D. – Mayville State (N.D.) erased the largest deficit of the game Saturday afternoon, and outscored Dakota State (S.D.) 48-32 in the final twenty minutes of the game for a 72-62 North Star Athletic Association women's basketball conference victory at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse. The Lady T's led as many as 16 points in the second quarter, but could not overcome Comets' second-half offensive outburst.
Dakota State dropped their overall record to 2-16 and 1-4 NSAA conference. Mayville State extended their winning streak to seven games, raising their overall record to 10-5. MSU currently leads by one-half game in the North Star conference standings with a 4-1 record.
DSU and MSU exchanged leads six times and tied the game once in the first ten minutes of the game. Both teams struggled offensively with the Lady T's leading 12-10 by the end of the first period. Dakota State was 37.5 percent from the field (6-of-16), while Mayville State was held to 23.5 percent from the field (23.5 percent).
The Lady T's kicked off the second period with a monstrous 18-4 scoring run for the biggest lead of the game at 30-14 after a basket by Alexis Evans (assisted by Alexis Robson) with 4:08 left. DSU scored nine points off MSU's six turnovers during the scoring run.
Mayville State closed the second period, shutting down Dakota State 10-0 in the final 3:49. DSU led 30-24 by halftime.
The Lady T's were 14-of-31 from the field in the first-half (45.2 percent) compared to the Comets 10-of-31 field goals (32.3 percent).
MSU extended their scoring run to 18-0 after scoring the first eight points of the third quarter, earning a 32-30 after a 3-pointer by Claire Blascziek with 7 32 on the clock. The Lady T's ended their scoring drought with a basket by Cora Peterson, knotting the game at 32-32 with 7:13 to go in the third.
Both teams exchanged leads and tied twice in the third quarter, as the Comets held a slim 50-49 lead by the end of the period. MSU outscored DSU 26-19 in the third.
With DSU leading 56-55, Mayville State went on to score eight straight points to grab a 63-56 lead with less than five minutes to go in the game.
Dakota State could get no closer than two points at 64-62 after a basket by Evans with less than two minutes left.
Mayville State secured the game by scoring the final eight points of the game, earning a ten-point victory. MSU outscored DSU 22-13 in the last ten minutes of the game.
Jessi Giles poured in a game-high 21 points for the Lady T's. Evans added 14 points (6-of-8 field goals) and grabbed six rebounds. Robson tallied 10 points. Taylor Volesky scored seven points and pulled down a season-high 11 rebounds off the bench.
Robson dished out four assists for DSU. Volesky stole the ball three times.
Blascziek led the Comets with 17 points. Joelle Ertl and Kylee Heurung each added 14 points. Heurung earned eight rebounds and registered six steals. Ertl contributed five assists.
Dakota State shot 44.3 percent overall from the field (27-of-61) compared to Mayville State 40 percent (24-of-60). The Comets were 8-of-31 from the 3-point arc, while the Lady T's were 5-of-19 3-points.
MSU was 16-of-22 free-throws (72.7 percent), with 15-of-21 free-throws coming in the second-half. DSU was 3-of-8 free-throws (37.5 percent).
Mayville State had a slim rebounding advantage, outrebounding Dakota State 38-37. The Comets outscored the Lady T's 21-16 in points off turnovers. DSU outscored MSU 14-11 in bench points.
Dakota State wraps up their first-half portion of the North Star conference schedule at home next weekend with a pair of contests. The Lady T's host Waldorf (Iowa) on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Viterbo (Wis.) next Saturday at 3 p.m. Both games will be held at DSU Fieldhouse in Madison, S.D.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
