October 22, 2021
Photos credits by Karen Giles
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball kicked off their 2021-22 season on the road at Newman Flanagan Center, taking on Briar Cliff (Iowa). The Trojans shot a blazing 55.4 percent from the field and held off the Chargers in an 81-79 thriller in both teams' season opener.
Dakota State earned its second victory in the series meeting with Briar Cliff. It was the first victory for DSU on Newman Flanagan Center since Nov. 29, 2008.
The Trojans make their home debut on Tuesday evening, hosting another opponent from the Great Plains Athletic Conference. DSU hosts in-state rival Mount Marty (S.D.) with a 7 p.m. tip-off at DSU Fieldhouse.
Please note there are stats disparities and will fix when time is available.
Dakota State (S.D.) 81, Briar Cliff (Iowa) 79 – FINAL
- Briar Cliff led as many as eight points to open the game. Kaegan Held made a shot to give BCU a 16-8 lead over DSU with less than five minutes to go in the first quarter.
- Lexi Robson made a basket as the Trojans cut their deficit to 16-10, calling a timeout with less than four minutes to go in the first period.
- BCU led 22-17 after the first quarter.
Briar Cliff shot 26.7 percent in the second quarter, allowing the Trojans to rally back from an 11-point deficit. DSU was 50 percent from the field in the final ten minutes of the first half.- Trailing 35-25, Dakota State closed the second period with a monstrous 8-0 scoring run by Savannah Walsdorf. She capped with a 3-pointer with less than 20 seconds to go before halftime, cutting the Chargers' lead to 35-33.
- Dakota State shot a sizzling 57.1 percent from the field in the third quarter, followed by a 66.7 percent from the field in the final quarter to secure the victory.
- Jessi Giles poured in 23 points for the Trojans. She also dished out three assists and stole the ball twice. Walsdorf added a double-double of 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. She was 7-of-9 from the field, including a perfect 4-of-4 from the 3-point arc. She dished out five assists.
- Robson tallied 16 points on her 6-of-8 field goals and grabbed five rebounds for DSU. Elsie Aslesen scored 11 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and registered four blocked shots.
- Courtney Menning scored the ball four times for Dakota State. She had six points.
- Madelyn Deitichler poured in 23 points on her 10-of-12 field goals and earned seven rebounds for BCU. Konnor Sudmann added 13 points. Mya Hendry scored 11 points off the bench.
Dakota State shot 31-of-56 from the field (55.4 percent) compared to Briar Cliff 31-of-68 field goals (45.6 percent). The Trojans hit 12 triples in 22 attempts (54.5 percent), while the Chargers were 7-of-15 from the 3-point arc (46.7 percent).- DSU outrebounded BCU 36-25 in the game.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
