December 7, 2019

Photos credits by Karen Giles and Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – Trailing 33-30 by halftime, Bellevue (Neb.) sparked the start of the third quarter with six straight baskets on six straight possessions and made the first eight shots as part of 26-14 outburst and held off Dakota State (S.D.) 80-70 in the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball conference season opener Saturday afternoon at DSU Fieldhouse.

Dakota State fell to 2-6 overall record and 0-1 NSAA conference record.  Bellevue, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 7-4 and 1-0 NSAA.  The North Star conference schedule won't be in full swing until next month.

The Trojans stay home on Wednesday as they host their long-time rival No. 13 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).  Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.  Bellevue stays on the road Tuesday evening for a non-conference action at No. 5-ranked Dordt (Iowa).  The game is set for 6 p.m.

(RV) Bellevue (Neb.) 80, Dakota State (S.D.) 70 – FINAL

• Both teams struggled to establish a lead in the first ten minutes of the game, recording three ties, one lead change and a lead no bigger than three points.
• Jerrene Richardson hit a basket with just few seconds before the end of the first quarter, giving the Bruins a slim 14-12 lead.  Both teams struggled from the field, with BU shooting 27.8 percent (5-of-18 field goals) and DSU shooting 22.7 percent (5-of-22 field goals).
• Leading 22-21, the Trojans went on a 5-1 run – thanks to back-to-back baskets by Morgan Koepsell – to gain the biggest lead of the first-half at 27-22 with 3:11 to go.
• The Bruins answered back with a 3-pointer by Faith Ross, followed by a basket by Taeha Pankey to knot the score for the seventh time at 27-27 with 2:17 left before halftime.
• Koepsell made a basket inside the paint with less than 10 seconds before intermission.  The Trojans held a 33-30 halftime advantage over the Bruins.
• Dakota State shot 30.6 percent from the field (11-of-36 field goals) in the first-half and held Bellevue to 27 percent shooting from the field (10-of-37 field goals).
• The Bruins stormed from the start of the third quarter, fueling a 16-2 outburst (including eight straight points by Faith Ross) to grab the first double digit lead of the game at 46-35 after a field goal by Brittany Hill with 6:47 on the clock.
• DSU rallied back to cut BU's lead to 48-43 with 3:27 to go in the third period. 
• Ross drained a 3-pointer with less than ten seconds to go, ballooning Bellevue's lead to 56-47 by the end of the third quarter.
• The Bruins shot a sizzling 61.1 percent in the third quarter (11-of-18), including 4-of-8 from the 3-point line).  The Trojans were 5-of-10 from the field.
• Dakota State could get no closer than four points on two different occasions in the fourth quarter – 59-55 after a steal and basket by Sidney Fick with 7:46 remaining and 72-68 after a field goal by Jessi Giles with 1:37 to go.
• Bellevue secured the game in the final 1:03 after converting 7-of-9 from the free-throw line for a 10-point win.  The Bruins outscored the Trojans 24-23 in the fourth quarter.
• The Bruins were 57.1 percent from the field in the second-half (16-of-28) and made 14-of-17 field goals.  The Trojans were 15-of-30 field goals (50 percent) and 4-of-6 free-throws.
• Koepsell poured in a season-high 26 points off the bench for Dakota State.  She was 10-of-14 from the field and made all six free-throw attempts.  She grabbed five rebounds and recorded two blocks.
• Giles added 14 points and dished out five assists for DSU.  Ashlyn Macdonald scored 12 points and pulled down nine rebounds.  Fick tallied seven points and earned eight rebounds.  Savannah Walsdorf registered six rebounds.
• Four BU players hit double figures, packed by Elexis Martinez, Ross and Hill each with 19 points.  Pankey added 16 points and stole the ball four times. 
• Cassie Jones led the Bruins with nine rebounds and five assists.  Martinez had seven rebounds.  Ross had six rebounds.  Ross, Jones, Hill and Lexi Allen each recorded two steals.
• Bellevue shot 40 percent overall (26-of-65 field goals) compared to Dakota State 39.4 percent (26-of-66 field goals).  The Bruins were 7-of-29 3-pointers, while the Trojans were 5-of-25 from the 3-point arc. 
• BU converted 21-of-27 free-throws (77.8 percent), while DSU was 13-of-21 from the free-throw line (61.9 percent). 
• Dakota State outrebounded Bellevue 46-38.  The Trojans outscored the Bruins 19-9 in second-chance points and 38-26 inside the paint.  BU outscored DSU 21-9 in points off turnovers.
• The Trojans' bench scored 34 points compared to the Bruins 19 points.
• There was a total of eight ties and seven lead changes in the game.
• Dakota State and Bellevue will meet for the second meeting on the final regular-season game on Feb. 21, 2020 in Bellevue, Neb.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director