December 31, 2019

LAKE WELLS, Fla. – Warner (Fla.) kept Dakota State (S.D.) scoreless for nearly seven minutes from the near end of the third quarter through the final quarter, fueling a 12-0 scoring run to pull away for a 67-57 non-conference women's basketball victory at Turner Athletic Center.  The Trojans led 50-49 before the Royals made the run to secure the victory.

Dakota State fell to 4-10 overall record, finishing their Florida trip with a 1-1 record against members of The Sun Conference.  Warner improved to 2-12 overall record

The Trojans return home Saturday evening, kicking off their 2020 year versus Oglala Lakota (S.D.).  Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

Warner (Fla.) 67, Dakota State (S.D.) 57 – FINAL

• Dakota State kicked off the first minute of the game with a 4-0 lead, thanks to a pair of free-throws each by Ashlyn Macdonald and Savannah Walsdorf.
• With DSU leading 9-5, Warner went on a 9-0 scoring tear to grab a 14-9 lead with 2:16 left in the first period after a basket by D'Asia James.
• The Royals led 18-15 by the end of the first quarter.  WU shot 6-of-18 from the field (33.3 percent) while limiting DSU to 27.3 percent from the field (3-of-11 field goals).
• The second quarter featured see-saw battle between Dakota State and Warner, registering six ties, two lead changes and a lead no bigger than three points by the Royals (24-21 with 6:34 on the clock and 33-30 with less than 35 seconds left).
• Jessi Giles made a basket inside the paint as the Trojans reduced their deficit to 33-32 with few seconds left before halftime.
• Both teams struggled from the field in the first-half.  DSU shot 33.3 percent (8-of-24 field goals) compared to WU 32.4 percent (12-of-37 field goals).
• Trailing 35-34 in the third period, Dakota State went on a 10-2 scoring run to grab a 44-37 lead after a basket by Walsdorf with 5:31 on the clock.
• The Royals would answer with a 7-0 run to knot the game for the eighth time at 44-44 after a 3-pointer by Shelby Gard with 2:48 remaining in the third.
• Alana St. Clair made a field goal as WU regained their lead to 51-50 by the end of the third quarter.  The Royals shot 7-of-13 field goals (53.8 percent) compared to the Trojans 7-of-15 field goals (46.7 percent) in the first ten minutes of the second-half.
• Warner kicked off the fourth quarter by scoring 10 straight points, grabbing the biggest lead of the game at 61-50 with 4:27 remaining.
• Morgan Koepsell ended DSU's scoring drought with a field goal, trialing 61-52 with 3:26 left.
• The Trojans could get no closer than seven points (64-57) with less than two minutes to go as the Royals secured the victory.
• WU outscored DSU 16-7 in the fourth quarter.  Warner was 4-of-11 from the field (36.4 percent) and went 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.  Dakota State was limited to 16.7 percent from the field (3-of-18 field goals) and 0-of-1 from the free-throw line.
• Sidney Fick led Dakota State with 12 points.  Walsdorf, Giles and Riley Peters each added eight points.  Lindsey Vogl tallied six points.  Koepsell and Macdonald each had four points.
• Walsdorf, Fick and Koepsell each pulled down seven rebounds for the Trojans.  Macdonald and Lex Evans each added four rebounds.  Macdonald contributed four assists.  Koepsell recorded two blocks.  Macdonald, Courtney Menning, Lexi Robson and Vogl each had a steal.
• Four WU players hit double digits in scoring, paced by James with 16 points and earned 10 rebounds.  She also had two blocks.  Troi Grant added 14 points.  St. Clair scored 13 points.  Azuree Pascal had 12 points off the bench. 
• Grant and St. Clair each recorded nine rebounds for the Royals.  Gard dished out four assists and stole the ball six times.  Grant had four steals.
• Warner shot 23-of-61 from the field (37.7 percent) compared to Dakota State 18-of-57 field goals (31.6 percent).  The Trojans were 9-of-31 from beyond the 3-point arc, while the Royals were 6-of-18 3-pointers.
• WU was 15-of-20 from the free-throw line (75 percent).  DSU was near-perfect, converting 12-of-13 free-throws (92.3 percent). 
• DSU outrebounded WU 40-31 in the game.  The Royals stole the ball 18 times compared to the Trojans four steals.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director