December 20, 2019

Photos credit by Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – The Dakota State (S.D.) University Trojan women's basketball team faced the NAIA Division II Top 25 nationally-ranked team for the second time in three days.  The Trojans hosted No. 16-ranked Sterling (Kan.) of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference in an afternoon non-conference contest at DSU Fieldhouse Friday.  After going through nine ties and seven lead changes, DSU outscored SC 21-12 in the final quarter to post an 80-69 upset victory over the Warriors.

Dakota State halted their five-game losing skid, improving to 3-9 overall record.  The Trojans are 2-0 record against members of the KCAC conference this season (defeated McPherson, Kan. 95-83 last month).  Sterling fell to 11-4 overall record.

It was the first time since Jan. 10, 2009 that Dakota State recorded a victory over NAIA Division II nationally-ranked team (Jamestown, N.D. at DSU Fieldhouse). 

DSU takes their Christmas break next week.  The Trojans close out their 2019 portion of the schedule, traveling to Florida for a pair of games.  Dakota State visits Webber International (Fla.) on Monday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. (ET)/1 p.m. (CT), followed by a contest at Warner (Fla.) on Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 12 p.m. (ET)/11 a.m. (CT).

Dakota State (S.D.) 80, (16) Sterling (Kan.) 69 – FINAL

• The Trojans opened the game with a 14-4 scoring surge, highlighted by three straight baskets from Jessi Giles (3-pointer), Shaylee DeBeer and Olivia Breske.  Breske completed a three-point play for DSU's first double-digit lead of the game with five minutes and twenty-nine seconds left in the first period.
• The Lady Warriors answered with eight straight points to cut DSU's lead to 14-12 with 3:19 left in the first quarter. 
• Sterling's Bailey Bangert made a basket with less than forty-five seconds left, knotting the game at 20-20. 
• DSU shot 43.8 percent (7-of-16 field goals) in the first ten minutes of the game and held SC to 36.4 percent (8-of-22 field goals).
• Kylah Comley hit back-to-back field goals to kick off the second quarter to give the Lady Warriors a 24-20 lead with 9:17 on the clock.
• DSU's Ashlyn Macdonald drained a 3-pointer to tie the game for the fourth time at 30-30 with 5:48 left before intermission. 
• Sterling quickly went on a 7-0 scoring surge to widen their lead to 37-30 after a pair of free-throws by Emmiley Hendrixson with 4:35 on the clock in the second.
• Trailing 42-35, Dakota State closed the second quarter with a 6-0 run in the final 1:44.  Sterling held on to a slim 42-41 halftime edge over the Trojans.
• Dakota State shot 50 percent from the field (15-of-30) in the first-half compared to Sterling 43.2 percent (16-of-37).
• DSU and SC battled back-and-forth in the third period, registering five ties and five lead changes.  Riley Peters hit a 3-pointer with less than seven seconds left as the Trojans hold a 59-57 edge over the Lady Warriors.
• Dakota State outscored Sterling 18-15 in the third quarter.  DSU was 7-of-17 from the field (41.2 percent), while holding SC to 29.4 percent shooting from the field (5-of-17 field goals).
• The Trojans held the Lady Warriors to no field goals in the first three-and-half minutes of the fourth quarter, fueling an 8-0 scoring outburst to regain their double-digit lead.  A 3-pointer by Lindsey Vogl gave DSU a 67-57 lead with 6:44 left in the game.
• The Lady Warriors could get no closer than single-digit on two different occasions – 67-60 with 6:20 left and 72-64 with 3:27 remaining.
• Dakota State posted its biggest lead of the game at 80-66 with 1:13 remaining after a basket by Morgan Koepsell (assisted by Vogl).
• The Trojans outscored the Lady Warriors 21-12 in the final ten minutes of the game to secure the win.  DSU shot a sizzling 64.3 percent in the fourth quarter (9-of-14 field goals) and held SC to 31.3 percent shooting from the field (5-of-16 field goals).
• Eleven DSU players scored in the game, paced by Koepsell with a game-high 23 points.  She was 10-of-14 from the field and 3-of-4 free-throws.  She was one rebound shy for recording a double-double, earning nine rebounds.  Koepsell also had two blocked shots.
• Vogl scored 11 points and dished out two assists off the bench for the Trojans.  Giles added 10 points, grabbed five rebounds, produced five assists and stole the ball twice.  Peters tallied nine points.
• Savannah Walsdorf and Sidney Fick each scored six points for Dakota State.  Breske had five points and three steals.  Macdonald recorded five points and three assists.
• Comley led the Lady Warriors with 21 points.  She grabbed eight rebounds and registered four assists.  Jessica Carrillo posted a double-double of 11 points and collected 13 rebounds.  Hendrixson had 11 points off the bench.
• Bailey Bangert scored nine points and registered four assists for SC. 
• Dakota State shot 50.8 percent overall from the field (31-of-61 field goals).  Sterling was held to 37.1 percent from the field (26-of-70 field goals).  Both teams drained nine 3-pointers in the game.
• DSU made 9-of-12 free-throws (75 percent), while SC was 8-of-12 free-throws (66.7 percent).
• The Trojans outrebounded the Lady Warriors 42-35 in the game.  DSU outscored SC 17-9 in second-chance points, 40-24 inside the paint, 16-11 in points off turnovers and 30-20 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director