February 8, 2019
ABERDEEN, S.D. – Presentation (S.D.) outscored Dakota State (S.D.) 16-6 in points off turnovers Friday evening, earning an 81-71 North Star Athletic Association women's basketball conference victory at Strode Center. The Saints completed the season series sweep over the Lady T's.
Dakota State fell to 3-22 overall record and 2-10 record in league play. Presentation improved to 11-15 overall record and evened their North Star conference record at 6-6.
The Lady T's led once in the game, grabbing its first lead of the game at 2-0 after a basket by Alexis Evans (assisted by Taylor Volesky) with nine minutes, 20 seconds on the clock.
Then it was all by the Saints. PC went on a 16-0 scoring surge to earn a 16-2 lead with 5:27 left in the first period.
The Saints led 21-11, but both teams were unable to score in the final 2:11 of the first quarter. Presentation shot 52.9 percent from the field (9-of-17) compared to Dakota State 35.7 percent (5-of-14) in the first ten minutes of the game.
Trailing at 27-11, the Lady T's mounted a comeback with a 12-3 run to cut PC's lead to 30-23 after a basket by Jessi Giles with 4:06 left in the second period.
Down 39-27, DSU closed the second quarter with a 7-0 run in the final 1:36. Volesky made a pair of baskets, while Cora Peterson added a 3-pointer during Lady T's scoring run.
Presentation led 39-34 by halftime. The Saints were 16-of-35 from the field (45.7 percent) in the first-half compared to the Lady T's 15-of-33 (45.5 percent).
The Saints kicked off the third quarter with a 7-0 run to regain their double-digit lead at 46-34 with 6:08 on the clock.
The Lady T's did not score the first point of the third period after a free-throw by Peterson with 5:50 on the clock in the third period (DSU trailed 46-35).
A basket by Allison Cox gave the Saints its biggest lead of the game at 56-38 with 1:05 left in the third quarter. DSU would close the third period with an 6-0 run to trim PC's lead to 56-44.
Presentation outscored Dakota State 17-10 in the third period.
Dakota State could get no closer than six points at 64-58 after a pair of free-throws by Volesky with 5:43 left. The Saints quickly answered back with a 5-0 run to earn their double-digit lead for the rest of the game.
DSU outscored PC 27-25 in a high fourth-quarter scoring affair.
Volesky paced the Lady T's with 18 points (6-of-9 field goals and made all five free-throws). She also pulled down six rebounds. Giles added 16 points, nine rebounds and contributed five assists. Kelley Criddle scored 10 points off the bench (5-of-8 field goals). Evans collected eight rebounds. Alexis Robson stole the ball three times.
Four PC starters scored in double digits, led by Victoria Stewart with a game-high 20 points (6-of-10 field goals and 8-of-10 free-throws. She also dished out five assists. April Hudelson posted a double-double of 15 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. She registered three blocks. Tone Oglesby had 14 points. Cox scored 12 points.
Presentation shot 29-of-64 from the field (45.3 percent) compared to Dakota State 26-of-59 field goals (44.1 percent). Both teams made six 3-pointers.
The Saints converted 17-of-23 free-throws (73.9 percent), with 14-of-18 free-throws coming in the second-half. The Lady T's were 13-of-15 free-throws (86.7 percent), with 12-of-14 free-throws converted in the last twenty minutes of the game.
DSU outrebounded PC 34-30 in the game. Both teams scored 34 points inside the paint.
The Lady T's outscored the Saints 27-16 in bench points.
Dakota State looks to end their losing skid Saturday afternoon as they continue their four-game road trip. The Lady T's visit Dickinson State (N.D.) in another North Star conference action. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. (Central Time)/3 p.m. (Mountain Time) at Scott Gymnasium in Dickinson, N.D.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
