February 2, 2021

MAYVILLE, N.D. – Trailing by 11 points midway through the third quarter, the nationally-ranked Dakota State (S.D.) roared back with a monstrous 26-8 scoring surge for a span of nine-and-half minutes to hold off Mayville State (N.D.) 64-59 North Star Athletic Association women's basketball contest at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse Tuesday evening.  The Trojans handed the Comets its first home defeat of the season (MSU 7-1 record at home after the defeat).

No. 21-ranked Dakota State extended their historic winning streak to 13 games, raising their overall record to 17-3.  The Trojans remaining perfect in the North Star Athletic Association play with a 9-0 record.  Mayville State suffered its second defeat in the last three games, falling to 11-4 overall record and 6-3 NSAA conference record.

Tuesday's game was a make-up contest from Jan. 15.  Both teams will be meeting for the second time four days later Saturday at 6 p.m. in Madison, S.D.  DSU won their second straight meeting with MSU held at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.

Dakota State concludes their home regular-season schedule with a pair of NSAA games this weekend.  The Trojans host Presentation (S.D.) Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

(21) Dakota State (S.D.) 64, Mayville State (N.D.) 59 – FINAL

• Mayville State kicked off the game by going 3-of-4 from the field, racing to a 6-0 lead after a basket by Erin Walcker with eight minutes and thirty-one seconds on the clock.  Danneka Voegeli scored the game's first four points.
• Lexi Robson drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Jessi Giles) to snap DSU's scoring drought, trailing 6-3 with 8:13 on the clock in the first period.
• Voegeli scored the next four points to balloon MSU's lead to 10-3 with 7:12 to go in the first.
• Dakota State outscored Mayville State 11-2 in the final 4:47 of the first quarter.  Savannah Walsdorf made a basket with less than 10 seconds to go, giving the Trojans a 14-12 lead.
• The Comets shot 6-of-14 from the field (42.9 percent) in the first ten minutes of the game.  The Trojans were held to 5-of-16 field goals (31.3 percent).
• DSU and MSU traded lead five times and tied twice with the lead no greater than four points in the second quarter.  Trailing 26-25, the Comets closed the second quarter with a 5-0 run to gain a 30-26 halftime lead.
• Mayville State outscored Dakota State 18-12 in the second quarter.  The Comets shot 50 percent from the field (13-of-26 field goals) and held the Trojans to 33.3 percent (10-of-30 field goals) in the first half.
• Leading 37-32, the Comets used a 6-0 scoring run to record their biggest lead of the game at 43-32 after a basket by Taylor Reilly with 5:05 to go in the third.
• Lex Evans, Morgan Huber and Courtney Menning each scored two points to spark DSU's 6-0 scoring run to cut MSU's lead to 43-38 with 2:42 remaining in the third quarter.
• Down 48-40, the Trojans used three different scorers (Elsie Aslesen, Menning and Giles) in the final 48 seconds for a 6-1 run.  Giles made both free throws as the Trojans trimmed the Comets' lead to 49-46 by the end of the third quarter.
• Voegeli kicked off the fourth quarter with a basket as the Comets extended their lead to 51-46 with less than nine minutes left.
• Dakota State stormed back with a 10-0 scoring outburst to regain their lead.  Walsdorf drained a 3-pointer to knot the game at 51-51 with 7:18 left.
• The Trojans continued its scoring run with a pair of free-throws and a basket by Aslesen, capped by a 3-pointer by Giles to widen their lead to 58-51 with 4:48 remaining.
• With DSU leading 60-53, the Comets hit back-to-back 3-pointers from Jordan Zrust and Kayla Rocholl to cut the Trojans' lead to 60-59 with less than 40 seconds to go.
• Ashlyn Macdonald hit a 3-pointer (assisted by Robson) on the ensuing possession to give DSU a 63-59 lead with less than 25 seconds left.
• Walcker missed a 3-pointer on the next possession and was rebounded by Walsdorf.  The Comets fouled Walsdorf, sending her to her to the free-throw for the double bonus situation.
• Walsdorf made the first free-throw to give DSU a 64-59 lead and secured the game. 
• Dakota State outscored Mayville State 18-10 in the final quarter.  The Trojans shot 44.8 percent from the field (13-of-29 field goals) in the second half compared to the Comets 41.7 percent (10-of-24 field goals).
• Walsdorf posted a double-double of 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds off the bench for DSU.  She was 6-of-9 from the field and stole the ball twice.  Giles added 13 points and two assists.
• Aslesen scored 10 points and pulled down four rebounds for the Trojans.  Robson tallied six points, dished out five assists and stole the ball three times. 
• Voegeli poured in a game-high 28 points and registered a double-double with 10 rebounds for the Comets.  She was 11-of-19 from the field and 6-of-9 from the free-throw line.  She had four blocks and three assists.
• Walcker and Zrust each added nine points for MSU.  Zrurst grabbed nine rebounds and stole the ball six times.  CJ Decker dished out four assists.
• Mayville State shot 46 percent from the field (23-of-50 field goals) compared to Dakota State 39 percent (23-of-59 field goals).  The Trojans were 7-of-24 from the 3-point line, while the Comets were 3-of-9 3-pointers.
• DSU converted 11-of-15 free-throws (73.3 percent).  MSU struggled at the free-throw line, going 10-of-21 free-throws (47.6 percent) with 7-of-16 free-throws coming in the final twenty minutes of the game.
• The Comets outrebounded the Trojans 37-29.  Both teams scored 21 points off turnovers.  DSU's bench outscored MSU's bench 28-8. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director