February 21, 2020

BELLEVUE, Neb. – Dakota State (S.D.) and Bellevue (Neb.) were battling for at least share of the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball conference title Friday evening at Gordon Lozier Center.  The Trojans opened with a double-digit lead and could not overcome Bruins' surge in the second and third quarters for an 83-72 conference regular-season finale contest at Gordon Lozier Center.

Dakota State's 10-game winning streak came to an end, falling to 16-13 overall record.  Bellevue, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 20-10.

Prior to the contest, both DSU and BU were in a three-way tie for first place in the North Star conference standings.  Bellevue, coupled with No. 18-ranked Mayville State's (N.D.) 66-55 home victory over Presentation (S.D.), earned a share of the NSAA conference regular-season title with an 11-3 record.

Dakota State, who finished third in the standings with 10-4 record, opens their North Star Athletic Association conference postseason tournament's quarterfinal round at home on Wednesday evening.  The Trojans host sixth-seeded Dickinson State (N.D.) at DSU Fieldhouse with a 7 p.m. tip-off.  It's the first time since the 2013-14 season that the Trojan women's basketball team hosted the North Star conference postseason contest.

(RV) Bellevue (Neb.) 83, Dakota State (S.D.) 72 – FINAL

• Dakota State raced to a 12-2 lead in the first three minutes and twenty-five seconds of the game, forcing Bellevue to burn their first timeout of the game.  The Trojans were 5-of-6 from the field during the scoring outburst.
• The Bruins answered with a 6-0 run to cut the Trojans' lead to 12-9 after a 3-pointer by Brittany Hill with 4:53 left in the first.
• Leading 15-13, DSU went on a 9-0 outburst to widen their lead to 24-13 with less than 45 seconds left in the first period. 
• BU's Jamie Winkler drained a 3-pointer just before the first period expired, trimming Dakota State's lead to 24-16.  The Trojans shot 9-of-15 from the field (60 percent) in the first ten minutes while holding the Burins to 7-of-18 field goals (38.9 percent).
• With DSU leading 28-18, Bellevue went on to score 14 straight points to earn a 32-28 lead with 4:36 left in the second quarter.
• Morgan Koepsell ended the first half with a 3-point play as the Trojans trailed 43-41, despite being outscored by the Bruins 27-17 in the second period.
• Bellevue maintained their lead between three- and eight-points for the majority of the third quarter.  The Bruins led 64-54 after three quarters, outscoring the Trojans 21-13 in the third.
• Dakota State mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter, kicking off with 7-0 scoring run capped by Cheylee Nagel's basket with 7:53 remaining to cut BU's lead to 64-63.
• Bellevue went on a 16-5 scoring run to balloon to their largest lead of the game at 80-68 after a pair of free-throws by Hill with a minute left in the game.
• The Bruins outscored the Trojans 19-18 in the final quarter, thanks to their 10-of-14 from the free-throw line.
• Dakota State shot 55 percent in the second half (11-of-20 field goals) compared to Bellevue 46.4 percent (13-of-28 field goals).
• Koepsell led the Trojans' offense attack with 19 points, making all eight field goals (tied for fifth best field goal percentage in the DSU women's basketball record book).  She also had six rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
• Lexi Robson tallied 12 points off the bench for DSU.  She was perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line.  Sidney Fick added 10 points.  Olivia Breske scored eight points and pulled down five rebounds.  Courtney Menning had seven points.  Savannah Walsdorf registered six points, contributed four assists and stole the ball three times.
• Four BU players scored in double digits, paced by Hill with 19 points off the bench (6-of-13 field goals, 3-of-6 3-pointers and 4-of-4 free-throws).  She had five steals in the game.  Winkler added 13 points.  Elexis Martinez and Faith Ross each added 11 points.  Ross dished out four assists and had two blocks.
• Martinez grabbed eight rebounds for Bellevue.  She also had three assists and recorded two steals.    
• The Bruins shot 49.2 percent overall from the field (29-of-59 field goals) compared to the Trojans 49.1 percent (27-of-55 field goals).  BU hit 9-of-20 3-pointers (45 percent) while DSU was 5-of-19 3-pointers (26.3 percent).
• Bellevue converted 16-of-22 free-throws (72.7 percent.).  Dakota State was 13-of-16 free-throws (81.3 percent).
• DSU outrebounded BU 35-29 in the game. 
• The Bruins outscored the Trojans 11-2 in fast-break points and 42-33 in bench points. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director