January 9, 2021

Photos credit by Karen Giles

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) held Dickinson State (N.D.) to 19.4 field goal percentage in the first twenty minutes of the game, rolling to an 87-48 North Star Athletic Association women's basketball conference victory Saturday afternoon at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans won their eighth straight meeting with the Blue Hawks.

Dakota State, receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, extended their winning streak to eight games.  The Trojans raised their overall record to 12-3 and earned a sole possession of first place in the North Star conference with a 4-0 record.  Dickinson State dropped their fifth straight game, falling to 2-7 overall record and 0-3 NSAA record.

Dakota State heads on the road next weekend as they continue their North Star conference action.  The Trojans make their first stop on Friday at Mayville State (N.D.).  Tip-off from the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse is set for 5:30 p.m. in Mayville, N.D.  DSU visits Presentation (S.D.) for a 3 p.m. contest next Saturday at Strode Center in Aberdeen.

Dickinson State is scheduled to play their first home games of the season next weekend at Scott Gymnasium, hosting Viterbo (Wis.) on Friday and Waldorf (Iowa) next Saturday.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 87, Dickinson State (N.D.) 48 – FINAL

• Dakota State scored eight straight points to break a 2-2 tie into a 10-2 lead, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Lexi Robson and Jessi Giles.  Dickinson State was forced to call their first timeout of the game with seven minutes and six seconds on the clock.
• Leading 11-4, the Trojans used a 9-1 scoring run to extend their lead to 20-5 after a basket by Cheylee Nagel (assisted by Ashlyn Macdonald) with 4:28 left on the clock.
• Dickinson State could get no closer than 11 points on two different occasions (20-9 after Lindsey Peterson's basket with 3:23 on the clock and 22-11 after a field goal by Courtney Olson with 2:55 remaining in the first).
• DaSU closed the first quarter with a 9-2 run to grab a 31-13 lead.  The Trojans shot a blazing 78.6 percent from the field (11-of-14 field goals) compared to the Blue Hawks 33.3 percent (5-of-15 field goals) in the first period.
• Dakota State held Dickinson State scoreless in the first 3:44 of the second quarter, widening their lead to 38-13.  Olson ended DiSU's scoring drought with a free-throw with 6:16 on the clock (DaSU led 38-14).
• The Blue Hawks missed 15 straight field goals in the second quarter before ending that drought with 1:42 on the clock with a basket by Luisa Popp (DaSU led 44-16). 
• The Trojans outscored the Blue Hawks 18-4 in the second period for a 49-17 halftime advantage.  DiSU shot 1-of-16 from the field in the final ten minutes of the first half.
• Dakota State shot 62.1 percent from the field in the first twenty minutes (18-of-29 field goals), while Dickinson State was 6-of-31 field goals.
• A lay-up by Shaylee DeBeer gave the Trojans its largest lead of the game at 62-21 with less than five minutes to go in the third quarter.
• DaSU led 69-34 after three quarters, thanks to Nagel's 3-pointer to end the third period. 
• The Trojans also had the biggest lead of the game at 87-46 with 2:33 remaining in the game after Ashlyn Macdonald's lay-up.
• Dakota State was 44.8 percent from the field (13-of-29 field goals) in the second half compared to Dickinson State 35.7 percent (10-of-28 field goals).
• Eleven DaSU players scored in the game, with five players scoring in double digits.  Elsie Aslesen produced a double-double of 11 points and pulled down 11 rebounds.  Nagel scored a season-high 14 points off the bench (5-of-7 free-throws).  Aslesen and Nagel each went 4-of-5 from the field.
• Robson tallied 13 points for Dakota State. Jessi Giles added 11 points.  Courtney Menning had 10 points and dished out four assists.  Morgan Koepsell had nine points and seven rebounds.
• Miakken Vincent, Macdonald, DeBeer and Nagel each recorded four rebounds for the Trojans.  Macdonald and DeBeer each had three assists.  Vincent and Nagel contributed two assists.  Savannah Walsdorf and Menning each stole the ball three times.
• Mackenzi Reed paced the Blue Hawks with 12 points and earned seven rebounds.  Olson added 10 points and four rebounds.  Popp had eight opints and five rebounds. 
• Sydnie Schauer and Sunshine Vicente each registered three assists and two steals for Dickinson State. 
• Dakota State shot 53.4 percent overall from the field (31-of-58 field goals) compared to Dickinson State 27.1 percent (16-of-59 field goals).  The Trojans drained 11 3-pointers in 25 tries (44 percent), while the Blue Hawks were 5-of-26 3-pointers (19.2 percent).
• DaSU converted 14-of-23 free-throws (60.9 percent).  DiSU was 11-of-18 free-throws (61.1 percent). 
• Dakota State outrebounded Dickinson State 47-32.  The Trojans outscored the Blue Hawks 18-10 in points off turnovers, 38-14 inside the paint, 15-2 second chance points and 39-8 bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director