January 26, 2021

Photos credit by Karen Giles

ABERDEEN, S.D. – No. 24-ranked Dakota State (S.D.) never trailed for forty minutes in the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball contest Tuesday evening at Strode Center, rolling past Presentation (S.D.) by the score of 77-47.  Tuesday's contest was the make-up game from Jan. 16.

DSU tied the school record with 11th consecutive win with the 1980-81 and 1983-84 squads (when Dakota State was dominant in the former South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference).  The Trojans raised their overall record to 15-3 and remained perfect in the North Star conference play with a 7-0 record (first time in school history that DSU started North Star conference play with a 7-0 record).

Presentation fell to 1-17 record and remained winless in seven NSAA contests (0-7 record).  The Saints lost their 10th straight game.  Both teams will meet for the second North Star meeting next Friday at DSU Fieldhouse. 

Dakota State had won 20 times in the last 22 games against members of the North Star Athletic Association, including non-conference and postseason games dating back to last season.

The Trojans return home for another make-up North Star contest (from Dec. 11) on Friday evening, hosting Viterbo (Wis.) in a rare back-to-back weekend.  Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.  DSU defeated VU 73-66 on Jan. 23 in La Crosse, Wis. in the first NSAA meeting.

(24) Dakota State (S.D.) 77, Presentation (S.D.) 47 – FINAL

• Dakota State grabbed its first lead of the game when Jessi Giles drained a 3-pointer with 19:31 on the clock (DSU led 3-0).
• Leading 5-4, the Trojans stretched their lead to 11-4 after a 3-pointer by Ashlyn Macdonald with 5:25 to go in the first.
• Kat Kreiner hit a 3-pointer near the end of the first quarter as Presentation trimmed DSU's lead to 17-14. 
• PC shot 6-of-14 from the field in the first quarter (42.9 percent), while DSU was 7-of-18 field goals (38.9 percent).
• Up 24-21, Dakota State outscored Presentation 13-2 in the final 5:06 of the second quarter to balloon their lead to 37-23.  The Trojans scored eight straight points to end the first half from three different scorers – Morgan Koepsell, Morgan Huber, and Shaylee DeBeer.
• Dakota State was 8-of-13 from the field (61.5 percent) in the second period and held Presentation to 4-of-13 field goals (30.8 percent).  The Trojans outscored the Saints 20-9 in the final ten minutes of the first half.
• DSU maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game.  The Trojans led as many as 19 points on two different occasions in the third period – 46-27 with less than five minutes left after a basket by Elsie Aslesen and 48-29 with 4:15 on the clock after DeBeer's field goal.
• With Dakota State leading 49-31, the Saints closed the third quarter with a 7-0 run.  A 3-pointer by Kreiner cut DSU's lead to 49-38 by the end of the third.
• Dakota State kicked off the fourth quarter by going 4-of-5 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, sparking a 10-2 run to stretch their lead to 59-40 with 7:36 remaining.
• The Trojans held the Saints to seven points in the final 7:25 of the game, rolling to a 30-point victory.  DSU outscored PC 28-9 in the fourth quarter. 
• DSU shot a blazing 65.2 percent from the field (15-of-23 field goals) in the second half compared to PC 44 percent (11-of-25 field goals).
• Giles scored a game-high 22 points on her 9-of-15 field goal shooting, including 3-of-6 from the 3-point arc for Dakota State.  She stole the ball three times.  Aslesen added 14 points (6-of-11 field goals) and pulled down seven rebounds.  Courtney Menning tallied 10 points, five rebounds and four steals.
• Morgan Koepsell scored nine points off the bench for the Trojans.  Morgan Huber added seven points and two steals.  Macdonald had a game-high eight rebounds, dished out four assists and recorded two steals. 
• Kriener paced the Saints with 13 points, five assists, five rebounds and three blocks.  Aaliyah Hull added 10 points and five rebounds.  Justice Crooks registered eight points, four rebounds and three assists.  Jordan Kulczyk had seven points and four rebounds.
• Dakota State shot 30-of-54 from the field (55.6 percent) compared to Presentation 21-of-52 field goals (40.4 percent).  The Trojans drained nine 3-pointers in 17 tries (52.9 percent), while the Saints were 5-of-11 3-pointers (45.5 percent).
• DSU was 8-of-12 from the free-throw line.  PC did not have a free throw attempt in the game.
• The Trojans outrebounded the Saints 29-25.  Dakota State outscored Presentation 25-6 in points off turnovers and 26-10 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director