October 28, 2019

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) shot a season-high 51.1 percent from the field Monday evening, but it was not enough to earn for the first women's basketball win of the season.  Briar Cliff (Iowa) converted 27-of-36 free-throws, pulling away in the second-half for an 85-73 high-scoring affair at DSU Fieldhouse.

Dakota State fell to 0-2 overall record.  It was the season opener for Briar Cliff, a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

The Trojans head to the Sanford Pentagon this weekend for the two-day NAIA South Dakota Pentagon Classic.  DSU opens the tournament against No. 7-ranked Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Saturday evening at 6 p.m.  Dakota State faces Mount Marty (S.D.) on Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m.

Briar Cliff (Iowa) 85, Dakota State (S.D.) 73 – FINAL

• The Chargers shot 7-of-10 from the field in the first four minutes and nineteen seconds of the game, sparking a 17-6 lead over the Trojans. 
• Trailing 21-11, DSU answered with an 11-2 outburst (including six straight points – two points from Sidney Fick and back-to-back baskets by Morgan Koepsell) to trim BCU's lead down to 23-22 after a pair of free-throws by Jessi Giles with less than two seconds remaining in the first quarter. 
• BCU's Alyssa Carely nailed down a pair of free-throws with 0.3 seconds left in the first period, extending their lead to 25-22. 
• DSU was 58.3 percent from the field (7-of-12 field goals) compared to BCU 50 percent (8-of-16 field goals, including 3-of-5 3-pointers) in the first ten minutes of the game. 
• Briar Cliff maintained their lead between three and seven points through for nearly eight minutes of the second quarter before Dakota State knotted up game.  A 3-pointer by Shaylee DeBeer (assisted by Lexi Robson) helped the Trojans tied the game at 40-40 with 1:52 left before halftime.
• BCU and DSU went through three ties in the final two minutes of the first-half.  A 3-pointer by DSU's Giles tied the game at 46-46 with less than 15 seconds left.  Carley answered with a basket helped the Chargers regained their lead to 48-46. 
• Dakota State shot a blazing 64 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes of the game, making 16-of-25 field goals.  Briar Cliff was held to 33.3 percent from the field (12-of-36).  The Chargers took advantage of 20-of-24 free-throws (83.3 percent) compared to the Trojans 9-of-14 free-throws (64.3 percent).
• The Trojans kicked off the third quarter with a 4-0 run after a basket by Koepsell and Giles, earning a 50-48 lead with 9:33 on the clock.  Briar Cliff answered back with a 5-0 run to regain their lead to 53-50 with 8:16 left in the third.
• Briar Cliff recorded a double-digit lead at 66-56 after a basket by Konnor Sudmann with less than three minutes to go in the third period.  Savannah Walsdorf made a pair of free-throws as DSU cut BCU's lead to 71-62 by the end of the third quarter.
• Both teams shot below 40 percent in the third quarter.  BCU shot 8-of-21 field goals (38.1 percent) compared to DSU 3-of-10 field goals (30 percent).  Briar Cliff outscored Dakota State 23-16 in the third quarter.
• Sudmann scored five straight points to start the fourth period, extending BCU's lead go 76-62 with less than eight minutes to go.
• Dakota State used a quick 6-0 run (back-to-back baskets by Lindsey Vogl followed by a 3-pointer by Giles), trimming their deficit to 76-69 with 5:29 remaining.
• The Chargers kept the Trojans scoreless for the next two-plus minutes, using a 6-0 run to regain their double-digit lead at 82-69 with 3:34 left and secured the victory.  BCU outscored DSU 14-11 in the final quarter.
• Dakota State was 8-of-22 field goals in the second-half (36.4 percent) compared to Briar Cliff 13-of-43 field goals (30.2 percent). 
• Four DSU players scored in double-digit, paced by Giles with 18 points.  She was 5-of-6 from the field and went perfect from the 3-point arc by going 3-of-3.  She also converted 5-of-6 free-throws.  Waldsdorf added 13 points off the bench (6-of-8 free-throws).  She stole the ball three times.
• Koepsell tallied 11 points (5-of-8 field goals) and registered three blocks off the bench for the Trojans.  She pulled down seven rebounds.  Vogl scored 10 points (4-of-6 field goals). 
• Robson dished out a game-high four assists for DSU.  Giles and Olivia Breske each collected five rebounds.
• Carley posted a double-double of 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for Briar Cliff.  Madelyn Deitchler added 18 points and six rebounds.  Sudmann tallied 16 points and stole the ball four times.  Jadyn Bussinger had 10 points and seven rebounds.
• Breanna Allen recorded a game-high five steals for the Chargers.  Sudmann and Bussinger each produced three assists.
• Dakota State was 24-of-47 from the field and held Briar Cliff to 25-of-79 field goals (31.6 percent).  The Chargers were 8-of-28 from the 3-point arc (28.6 percent), while the Trojans were 7-of-20 3-pointers (35 percent).  DSU was 18-of-26 free-throws (69.2 percent).
• Both teams had 42 rebounds in the game.  BCU outrebounded DSU 21-4 on the offensive boards.  Briar Cliff outscored Dakota State 35-18 in points off turnovers and 13-6 in second-chance points.  DSU outscored BCU 38-30 in bench points and 32-26 inside the paint. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director