December 18, 2019

Photos credit by Karen Giles

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Nationally-ranked Morningside (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Association scored the game's first ten points, and never trailed in the game for a 104-57 non-conference women's basketball victory over Dakota State (S.D.) at RVSC-Allee Gym Wednesday evening.  The Mustangs drained 21 3-pointers in the victory.

DSU fell to 2-9 overall record.  MC, ranked No. 7 in the latest NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 10-3.

Dakota State returns home for an afternoon match-up against another nationally-ranked team, versus No. 16 Sterling (Kan.) on Friday.  Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

(7) Morningside (Iowa) 104, Dakota State (S.D.) 57 – FINAL

• Morningside held Dakota State to no field goals for more than five minutes, sparking a 10-0 early lead.  The Trojans ended the scoring drought after a basket by Courtney Menning with four minutes, forty-one seconds on the clock in the first period (DSU trailed 10-2).
• The Mustangs outscored the Trojans 14-0 in points off turnovers in the first ten minutes, grabbing a 23-4 lead.  MC was 8-of-18 from the field (44.4 percent) compared to DSU 2-of-10 field goals (20 percent).
• Morningside ballooned their lead to 48-18 by halftime after outscoring Dakota State 25-14 in the second period.  The Mustangs shot 46.3 percent in the first-half (19-of-41 field goals) and held the Trojans to 31.6 percent (6-of-19 field goals).
• MC shot 20-of-43 from the field (46.5 percent), including 14-of-26 from the 3-point arc (53.8 percent) in the second-half, securing the victory.  The Mustangs outscored the Trojans 56-39 in the final twenty minutes of the game.  DSU was 14-of-29 field goals (48.3 percent) and 5-of-9 3-pointers in the second-half.
• Sidney Fick led the Trojans with 13 points (4-of-8 from the field, including 2-of-3 3-pointers and converted all three free-throw attempts).  Lindsey Vogl scored 10 points off the bench (3-of-4 field goals and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line).  Riley Peters tallied eight points.  Jessi Giles added six points.
• Olivia Breske grabbed six rebounds for DSU.  Savannah Walsdorf, Fick and Morgan Koepsell each collected four rebounds.  Ashlyn Macdonald had a blocked shot.
• Breske and Vogl each dished out two assists for Dakota State.  Menning stole the ball twice. 
• Twelve players scored in the game for the Mustangs, paced by Tayte Hansen with 21 points off the bench.  She was 7-of-12 from the field, with 7-of-11 coming from the 3-point line.  Jordyn Moser added 15 points and recorded a game-high seven steals.
• Sophia Peppers had 14 points, four assists, four rebounds and four steals for MC.  Sydney Hupp had 13 points, five rebounds and registered four blocks.  Grace Meyer had five rebounds.  Olivia Larsen produced five assists.
• Morningside was 39-of-84 from the field (46.4 percent) compared to Dakota State 20-of-48 field goals (41.7 percent).  The Mustangs were 21-of-43 from the 3-point arc (48.8 percent), while the Trojans were 8-of-17 3-pointers (47.1 percent).
• DSU converted 9-of-11 free-throws (81.8 percent).  MC was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line (83.3 percent).
• Morningside outrebounded Dakota State 45-30 in the game (21-5 on the offensive boards).  The Mustangs outscored the Trojans 16-3 in second-chance points. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director