February 23, 2021

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu, Karen Giles, Donald Weidler, Mike Black

MADISON, S.D. – Top-seed Dakota State (S.D.) cruised past eighth-seed Presentation (S.D.) 99-34 in the opening round of the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball postseason tournament Tuesday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  All 12 Trojan players scored in the game. 

After a 29-19 lead by the end of the first quarter, DSU held the Saints to 15 points for the final 30 minutes of the game.  Presentation was held to 1-of-21 from the field in the second half (4.8 percent) and committed 39 turnovers in the game.

Dakota State – ranked No. 17 in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll – ballooned their historic winning streak to 19 games, raising their overall record to 23-3.  DSU matched its overall wins since 2000-01 season. 

Prior to the game, the North Star Athletic Association commissioner Roger Ternes presented the conference regular-season title to the Trojan women's basketball team.

Presentation ended their season with an overall record of 2-24.

The Trojans continue their postseason play on Thursday evening, hosting No. 4 seed Mayville State (N.D.) in the NSAA semifinals.  The Comets held on to a 56-53 thriller over No. 5 seed Valley City State (N.D.) Tuesday evening.  Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

(17) Dakota State (S.D.) 99, Presentation (S.D.) 34 – FINAL

• Presentation kicked off the game with a 2-0 lead after a basket by Amunique Newell with 9:45 on the clock in the first quarter.
• The Saints earned their second lead of the game at 4-3 with a field goal by Brittiney Seymour with 8:10 in the first and never regain their lead for the read of the game.
• Knotted at 9-9, the Trojans fueled a 10-0 scoring outburst to grab a 19-9 lead after a free-throw by Elsie Aslesen with 3:46 left in the first period.
• Jessi Giles nailed down a pair of free-throws to give DSU a 29-19 lead by the end of the first period. 
• PC shot 46.7 percent from the first in the first ten minutes of the game (7-of-15 field goals) compared to DSU 45 percent (9-of-20 field goals). 
• Dakota State held Presentation to two points in the first six minutes of the second quarter.  The Trojans sparked a 14-2 run to widen their lead to 43-21 after a lay-up by Aslesen, forcing the Saints to burn a timeout with 4:13 on the clock.
• DSU outscored PC 23-8 in the second quarter, ballooning their lead to 52-27 by halftime.  The Trojans shot 46.3 percent in the first half (19-of-41 field goals), while the Saints were 37 percent from the field (10-of-27 field goals).
• Dakota State outscored Presentation 27-0 in points off turnovers in the first half.
• The Trojans exploded for 28 points in the third period, thanks to their sizzling 68.8 percent shooting from the field (11-of-16 field goals). 
• The Saints were held to three points and 1-of-10 field goals (10 percent).  PC made its only basket of the second half with 7:47 left in the third quarter by Seymour (DSU led 60-29).
• DSU led 80-30 after three quarters.
• Presentation went 0-of-11 from the field in the fourth quarter, propelling the Trojans to a 19-4 fourth quarter run.  The Saints were held to four points in the final quarter by free-throws.
• The Trojans recorded its largest lead of the game at 99-33 after a 3-pointer by Miakken Vincent (assisted by Shaylee DeBeer) with 1:26 remaining.
• Dakota State shot 17-of-35 from the field in the final twenty minutes (48.6 percent). 
• Giles paced the Trojans with 20 points on her 6-of-10 field goals and converted 6-of-6 free-throws.  She stole the ball four times.  Aslesen added 17 points (6-of-10 field goals and 4-of-5 free-throws).  She had seven rebounds and two blocks.
• DeBeer scored a career-high 15 points off the bench for DSU.  She had four rebounds, two blocks, two steals and two assists.  Lexi Roberson had 14 points (5-of-6 field goals) and five assists.  She had three steals.
• Courtney Menning scored seven points, dished out a game-high six assists and stole the ball five times for Dakota State.  Savannah Walsdorf had six points, nine rebounds and four steals.  Ashlyn Macdonald and Cheylee Nagel each grabbed six rebounds.  Morgan Koepsell had two blocks.  Morgan Huber registered a season-high four steals and three assists.
• Karly Sanchez led the Saints with 13 points.  Lynnae Mitchell scored eight points off the bench.  Seymour and Haylie Vallery each had five rebounds.
• Dakota State shot 47.4 percent overall from the field (36-of-76 field goals) and held Presentation to 22.9 percent (11-of-48 field goals).  The Trojans were 9-of-21 3-pointers (36 percent), while the Saints were 5-of-21 from the 3-point arc.
• DSU hit 18-of-24 free-throws (75 percent).  PC was 7-of-12 from the free-throw line (58.3 percent). 
• The Trojans posted season-highs in rebounds (53) and steals (28).  Dakota State had a plus-25 rebounding margin over Presentation (28 rebounds). 
• DSU shut down PC 20-0 in transition points and 55-0 in points off turnovers.  Dakota State outscored Presentation 54-10 inside the paint, 23-9 in second-chance points and 38-8 in bench points.

	Dakota State NSAA Regular-Season Champion
	Cody Welu 2021 Terry Ryan Distinguished Service Award
	'Lights Out'

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director