November 17, 2020

Photos credits by Karen Giles and Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) faced the NAIA's Top 25 women's basketball nationally-ranked team for the third time from the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tuesday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  No. 24-ranked Morningside (Iowa) used a 22-12 third-quarter surge and held off the Trojans by the score of 74-67.

Dakota State, which kicked off their season-high six-game home stand at DSU Fieldhouse, fell to 4-3 overall record.  Morningside lifted their overall record to 3-1, earning their 10th straight win in the series meeting with DSU.

The Trojans host the Dakota Clash tournament this weekend at DSU Fieldhouse.  The first game kicks off with Valley City State (N.D.) taking on Presentation (S.D.) at 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by the second game with DSU hosting Mayville State (N.D.) at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday, PC takes on MSU at 2 p.m. and DSU plays VCSU at 4 p.m.

(24) Morningside (Iowa) 74, Dakota State (S.D.) 67 – FINAL

• Both teams went through a see-saw battle in the first quarter with one tie and four lead changes.  Morningside led as many as six points in the first ten minutes after a basket by Chloe Lofstrom for a 14-8 lead with 5:23 on the clock.
• The Trojans answered with a 9-0 scoring run from five different scorers – Jessi Giles, Elsie Aslesen, Courtney Menning, Shaylee DeBeer and Morgan Koepsell – to overtake a 17-14 lead with 3:16 left in the first.
• Dakota State led 19-17 after the first quarter.  DSU was 7-of-17 from the field (41.2 percent) compared to MC 6-of-14 field goals (42.9 percent).
• There was a total of seven lead changes and three ties in the second quarter, with the lead no greater than four points by the Trojans (26-22 after a 3-pointer by Savannah Walsdorf with 7:03 on the clock).
• Morningside held a slim 40-39 halftime lead over Dakota State.  The Mustangs outscored the Trojans 23-20 in the second quarter.
• DSU shot 16-of-35 from the field in the first half (45.7 percent).  MC was 12-of-27 from the field (44.4 percent).  The Mustangs hit 7-of-10 3-pointers compared to the Trojans 2-of-10 3-pointers in the first twenty minutes of the game.
• Aslesen hit a 3-pointer to kick off the third quarter as DSU regained their lead at 42-40 with 9:32 on the clock. 
• Morningside went on a 10-0 scoring tear, thanks their 4-of-5 field goals during the outburst.  Sierra Mitchell capped the scoring outburst with a 3-pointer for MC 50-42 lead, forcing DSU to burn a timeout with 7:40 to go in the third.
• Down 52-44, Dakota State scored five straight points to cut Morningside's lead to 52-49 after a basket by Aslesen with 4:22 left in the third period. 
• Leading 54-51, the Mustangs scored eight straight points to close the third quarter with their first double-digit lead of the game at 62-51 after a field goal by Grace Meyer.
• Morningside was 8-of-18 from the field in the third quarter, while Dakota State was 5-of-13 field goals.
• Mitchell hit a basket with 7:05 left to give Mustangs its biggest lead of the game at 69-54.
• The Trojans mounted a comeback by holding Morningside scoreless for four-and-half minutes, sparking a 12-0 scoring outburst.  Lexi Robson drained a 3-pointer with 1:37 remaining as the Trojans trailed 71-66.
• Lofstrom hit three free-throws in the final 31 seconds to secure the victory for the Mustangs.  DSU outscored MC 16-12 in the final quarter.
• Four Trojan players scored in double-digits, paced bay Walsdorf with a season-high 21 points.  She was 8-of-17 from the field and 4-of-7 from the 3-point line.  She stole the ball four times.
• Aslesen posted her second double-double of season with 10 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for Dakota State.  She had a game-high four blocks.  Giles tallied 11 points and dished out four assists.  Robson also had 10 points and contributed four assists. 
• Koepsell had six points and six rebounds off the bench for DSU.  DeBeer added seven points and three steals.
• Morningside had five players scoring in double digits, led by Mitchell and Faith Meyer with 16 points each.  Lofstrom added 15 points and eight rebounds.  Tayte Hansen scored 13 points off the bench.  Sophia Peppers had 12 points, seven assists and six rebounds. McKenna Sims dished out six assists for the Mustangs. 
• Morningside shot 40.7 percent from the field (24-of-59 field goals) compared to Dakota State 44.1 percent (26-of-59 field goals).  The Mustangs drained 12 3-pointers in 24 attempts (50 percent), while the Trojans were 7-of-19 from the 3-point arc (36.8 percent).
• MC hit 14-of-20 free-throws (70 percent).  DSU struggled at the free-throw line, going 8-of-16 free-throws (50 percent). 
• Morningside outrebounded Dakota State 38-34.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director