January 24, 2020

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) shook off their slow start in the first quarter Friday evening, rolling past Waldorf (Iowa) 84-58 in the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball action at DSU Fieldhouse.  It was the first home NSAA conference victory this season for the Trojans.

Dakota State won their second straight game, lifting their overall record to 8-12 and 2-3 NSAA conference record.  Waldorf (Iowa) fell to 3-15 overall record and 1-5 record in the North Star contests.

Both teams will meet for the second meeting next Saturday in Forest City, Iowa.

The Trojans continue their season-long five-game home stand Saturday afternoon.  DSU hosts Viterbo (Wis.), who defeated Bellevue (Neb.) 67-64 Friday evening, with a tip-off at 3 p.m.  Waldorf travels to Gordon Lozier Center to take on Bellevue Saturday at 3 p.m.

Dakota State (S.D.) 84, Waldorf (Iowa) 58 – FINAL

• The Trojans quickly open the game with an 8-2 run within the first two minutes.  The Warriors answered back with a 6-0 run to knot the game at 8-8 after a basket by Kylie Willems with 6:36 on the clock.
• A 3-pointer by Morgan Straight gave WU its first lead of the game at 11-9 with 4:23 left in the first period.
• Waldorf's lead was short-lived as Dakota State stormed back by closing the first period with a 10-0 run in the final 4:05, grabbing a 19-11 lead after a basket by Sidney Fick from a steal.
• Dakota State stretched its scoring run to 13-0 after a 3-pointer by Ashlyn Macdonald to kick off the second quarter for a 22-11 lead (9:20 on the clock).
• Morgan Koepsell completed a 3-point play to give DSU its biggest lead of the first-half at 37-18 with 5:02 remaining before halftime.
• DSU led 43-28 by intermission, outscoring WU 24-17 in the second period.  The Trojans shot 16-of-39 from the field in the first-half (41 percent) and held the Warriors to 11-of-34 field goals (32.4 percent).
• Dakota State maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game, despite being outscored by Waldorf 16-13 in the third period. 
• The Warriors could get no closer than 11 points on two different occasions – 3-pointer by Straight with 3:18 left (DSU led 49-38) and a basket by Willems with 2:36 left (DSU lead 51-40).
• Straight hit a field goal when time expired in the third period as Waldorf trimmed Dakota State's lead to 56-44. 
• WU was 7-of-18 from the field (38.9 percent) in the first ten minutes of the third quarter, while holding DSU to 4-of-16 field goals (25 percent).
• Dakota State started the fourth quarter by scoring 10 straight points (including the first six points by Koepsell), thanks to their 5-of-6 field goals in the first 2:34.  Ashlyn Macdonald drained a 3-pointer to cap DSU's 10-0 scoring run, ballooning their lead to 68-44 with 7:26 remaining.
• A basket by Lex Evans (assisted by Cheylee Nagel) gave the Trojans its largest lead of the game at 84-52 with 2:40 left.
• DSU outscored WU 28-14 in the final quarter. 
• Twelve different Trojan players scored in the game, paced by Koepsell with a game-high 20 points (9-of-14 field goals).  Fick posted her first career collegiate double-double of 11 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. 
• Macdonald tallied 10 points for DSU.  Lexi Robson scored nine points off the bench.  Nagel added eight points.  Olivia Breske had seven points and grabbed eight rebounds.
• Dakota State also had twelve different players recording at least an assist, led by Fick with four assists.  Jessi Giles and Riley Peters each added two assists.  Fick and Courtney Menning each stole the ball three times.
• Koepsell recorded three blocks for the Trojans.  Fick added two blocks.  Shaylee DeBeer and Robson each registered a block.
• Four WU players scored in double-digits, led by Willems and Tina Lair-VanMeter each with 14 points.  Ashley Schinedele added 13 points.  Straight had 10 points.
• Nichole Oberthien led the Warriors with 11 rebounds.  Lair-VanMeter added eight rebounds.  Willems grabbed seven rebounds.
• Straight produced five assists for WU.  She recorded four steals.  Lair-VanMeter had four blocked shots in the game.
• Dakota State shot 40.5 percent overall from the field, making 32 baskets in 79 tries.  Waldorf was 34.4 percent overall, converting 22-of-64 field goals.  Both teams made five 3-pointers.
• The Trojans hit 15 free-throws in 22 attempts (68.2 percent).  The Warriors were 9-of-12 free-throws (75 percent).
• DSU outrebounded WU 51-44 in the game (25-18 in offensive rebounds).  The Trojans outscored the Warriors 34-13 in points off turnovers, 50-28 inside the paint and 38-5 in bench points.  Both teams scored 22 points in second-chance points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director