February 18, 2021

BELLEVUE, Neb. – No. 17-ranked Dakota State (S.D.) completed a perfect North Star Athletic Association women's basketball season Thursday evening, rolling to an 86-75 victory over Bellevue (Neb.) in the battle of top two teams in the league at Gordon Lozier Center.  It was the Trojans' first regular season sweep over the Bruins, and first win on BU's floor since Dec. 16, 2017.

Dakota State extended their historic school record 18th consecutive victory, raising their overall record to 22-3.  The last time the Trojans recorded 22 wins in a single season was in 2005-06 season.  DSU also earned its perfect conference schedule with a 14-0 record, becoming the third squad to finish undefeated in the North Star conference play since the league formed in 2013-14 (Jamestown, N.D. went undefeated in NSAA play in 2015-16 with 12-0 record and 2017-18 with 16-0 record).

It was the first time since the 1982 and 1983 seasons that the Trojans finished with a perfect conference record (Dakota State finished 14-0 record in both seasons in the former South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference, coached by Dr. Judy Dittman). 

Bellevue's seven game winning streak came to an end on Thursday evening, falling to 15-6 overall record and 11-3 NSAA conference record.  The Bruins already secured the No. 2 seed for the conference postseason tournament, which starts with the opening round on Tuesday evening.

While the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball postseason bracket have not yet been announced, Dakota State will be at home on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. hosting No. 8 seed Presentation (S.D.). The Trojans already secured the home court advantage for the NSAA postseason tournament (semifinals next Thursday and championship game on Saturday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m.).

(17) Dakota State (S.D.) 86, Bellevue (Neb.) 75 – FINAL

• Dakota State never trailed for the entire forty minutes game.  There are two ties recorded in the first two quarters.
• Lexi Robson began the game before tip-off by hitting a pair of free-throws to give DSU a 2-0 lead (Bellevue was charged with a shot clock malfunction-no horn on the shot clock).  After the tip-off, the Bruins answered with a lay-up by Elexis Martinez with 9:45 on the clock for the first tie at 2-2.
• Courtney Menning scored five straight points to stretch Trojans' lead to 7-2 with 8:46 to go in first.
• Leading 12-11, the Trojans went on a 9-0 scoring run for the first double digit lead of the game.  Menning nailed down a pair of free-throws to give DSU a 21-11 lead with 1:50 on the clock.
• Jessi Giles went 3-of-3 from 3-point arc (9 total points in the first quarter), ballooning DSU's lead to 24-13.  The Bruins were forced to burn a timeout with 1:27 remaining in the first period.
• Bellevue closed the first quarter with a 5-0 run to cut Dakota State's lead to 24-18.  The Trojans shot 8-of-13 from the field (61.5 percent), including 4-of-6 from the 3-point arc in the first ten minutes of the game.  The Bruins were 8-of-15 from the field (53.3 percent) and 2-of-6 from the 3-point line.
• DSU maintained their lead between four- and seven-points in the second quarter before BU rallied back for the second tie of the game.
• Trailing 31-24, Bellevue answered with a 7-0 scoring run to knot the game at 31-31 after a 3-pointer by Delaney VanBlaricon with 4:08 on the clock in the second.
• The Trojans quickly answered with a basket by Giles and a 3-pointer by Savannah Walsdorf as part of their 5-0 run, leading 36-31 with 3:16 to go before halftime.
• Dakota State led 46-40 by halftime.  DSU shot a blazing 58.6 percent from the field (17-of-29 field goals) in the first half, including 6-of-12 from the free-throw line.  BU was 51.7 percent from the field (15-of-29 field goals) and 4-of-15 from the 3-point arc.
• The Trojans kicked off the third period with a 7-0 run, sparked by a 3-pointer by Giles with a pair of free-throws.  DSU capped its scoring run after a free-throw by Menning for a 52-40 lead with 8:24 on the clock.
• Dakota State maintained their double-digit lead for the remainder of the third quarter.  Morgan Koepsell hit a pair of free-throws to give Trojans its biggest lead of the game at 64-47 with 3:40 left in the third.
• DSU outscored BU 22-16 in the third quarter, widening their lead to 68-56.  The Trojans went 12-of-15 from the free-throw line in the third period. 
• Bellevue began the fourth quarter with an 8-1 outburst, trimming Dakota State's lead to 69-64 after a 3-pointer by Shareece Smith with 7:11 remaining.
• The Trojans kept the Bruins scoreless for 4:18, fueling a 10-0 scoring run.  Walsdorf made a pair of free-throws with 3:01 left to stretch DSU's lead to 79-64.
• BU snapped its scoring drought with a 3-pointer by Miranda Henning with 2:53 remaining (DSU led 79-67).
• Bellevue could get no closer than seven points on two different occasions as Dakota State secured the victory.  DSU outscored BU 18-15 in the fourth period.
• Koepsell paced the Trojans with a game-high 23 points on her 9-of-15 field goals.  She was also 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.  She pulled down seven rebounds and recorded two blocks.  Giles added 18 points (6-of-10 field goals, including 4-of-7 from the 3-point arc).  She had two steals and four rebounds.
• Menning and Robson each tallied 13 points for DSU.  Menning converted 8-of-10 free-throws, while Robson was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.  Menning grabbed six rebounds and dished out six assists.
• Walsdorf scored nine points and collected eight rebounds off the bench for Dakota State.  She stole the ball four times.  Shaylee DeBeer contributed three assists.  Elsie Aslesen had seven points and four rebounds. 
• Jamie Winkler led the Bruins with 21 points and five assists.  Martinez added 16 points and eight rebounds.  She recorded three steals.  Taeha Pankey had 12 points, six assists and three steals. 
• Dakota State shot 48.1 percent overall from the field (26-of-54 field goals) compared to Bellevue 44.4 percent (28-of-63 field goals).  The Bruins hit 11-of-34 3-pointers (32.4 percent), while the Trojans were 8-of-21 from the 3-point line (38.1 percent).
• DSU made 26-of-31 free-throws (83.9 percent), with 20-of-25 free-throws coming in the final twenty minutes of the game.  BU was 8-of-12 from the free-throw line (66.7 percent).
• Dakota State outrebounded Bellevue 43-26 (12-7 on offensive boards).  The Trojans outscored the Bruins 36-26 inside the paint and 35-20 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director