February 6, 2021

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu, Karen Giles, and Donald Weidler

MADISON, S.D. – The nationally-ranked No. 21 Dakota State (S.D.) used a 46-28 second-half outburst to defeat Mayville State (N.D.) for the second time in five days Saturday evening in the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball contest at DSU Fieldhouse.  DSU extended their historic school record 15-game winning streak after a 75-56 home regular-season finale.   

The Trojans defeated the Comets 64-59 in Mayville, N.D. earlier this week on Feb. 2.  DSU swept MSU in all three meetings this season, including a non-conference contest in the Dakota Clash tournament last November. 

Dakota State raised their overall record to 19-3, their most overall victories since 2007-08 season (21 victories).  The Trojans stayed undefeated in the North Star conference play with a 11-0 record and maintained their two-game lead over Bellevue (Neb.) in the conference standings. 

DSU's 11 wins in the North Star conference play is the most wins ever in school history since joining the league in 2013-14.  The last time the Trojans matched its 11 wins in a conference was in 2007-08 in the former Dakota Athletic Conference.

Mayville State suffered its third straight defeat in the same week, and their fourth loss in the last five games.  MSU fell to 11-6 overall record.  The Comets are currently in a three-way tie for third place in the conference standings with Viterbo (Wis.) and Dickinson State (N.D.), each with 6-5 record in league play.

Saturday's game was also the Senior Night for Trojan women's basketball lone senior Lex Evans.  She was honored following the completion of the game. 

Dakota State heads out on the road next weekend in North Dakota as they continue their conference play.  The Trojans head to Dickinson State (N.D.) on Friday.  The game is set for 6:30 p.m. (Central Time)/5:30 p.m. (Mountain Time) at Scott Gymnasium in Dickinson, N.D.  DSU travels to Valley City State (N.D.) next Saturday at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse at 3 p.m. in Valley City, N.D.

Mayville State returns home next weekend, hosting Viterbo in a key North Star contest on Friday followed by another NSAA contest next Saturday versus Waldorf (Iowa).  Both games will be held at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse in Mayville.

(21) Dakota State (S.D.) 75, Mayville State (N.D.) 56 – FINAL

• Both teams kicked off with a 3-pointer on their first possession of the game.  Kayla Rocholl opened the game with a 3-pointer for MSU 3-0 lead, as DSU's Jessi Giles answered back with a 3-pointer to knot the game at 3-3 with nine minutes, twenty-four seconds on the clock.
• Jordan Zrust scored the next four points for MSU's 7-3 lead after a pair of free-throws with 7:14 on the clock in the first.
• Dakota State went on a 12-2 scoring tear in a span of nearly six minutes.  Lexi Robson completed a three-point play to put Trojans up 15-9 with less than thirty seconds to go in the first period.
• The Trojans led 15-10 after the first quarter.  Both teams struggled from the field, with DSU shooting 33.3 percent (5-of-15 field goals) compared to MSU 25 percent (3-of-12 field goals).
• Mayville State held Dakota State scoreless for the first four minutes of the second quarter, sparking a 7-0 run to grab a 17-15 lead with six minutes to go after Zrust's basket.
• Savannah Walsdorf halted DSU's scoring drought with a free-throw, trailing 17-16 with 5:47 on the clock in the second period.
• Dakota State missed its first seven field goals in the second quarter as Mayville State's lead grew to 21-17 with less than four minutes to go before halftime after Taylor Dean's pair of free-throws.
• Morgan Koepsell made its first second quarter field goal with 3:18 on the clock, completing a 3-point play to cut DSU's deficit to 21-20.
• Trailing 25-20, Dakota State closed the second period with a 9-3 scoring run to overtake the lead.  Elsie Aslesen made a lay-up (assisted by Shaylee DeBeer) as the Trojans grabbed a 29-28 halftime lead.
• DSU shot 33.3 percent from the field (10-of-30 field goals) in the first half and held MSU to 28 percent (7-of-25 field goals).  MSU hit 13 free-throws in 16 tries (81.3 percent), while DSU was 7-of-10 free-throws (70 percent).
• Aslesen ignited the third quarter with a 3-pointer to start DSU's 7-0 scoring run.  Giles nailed down a pair of free-throws to balloon Trojans' lead to 36-28 with 7:20 to go in the third. 
• Leading 41-33, Koepsell drained three straight 3-pointers to fuel DSU's 9-2 outburst to widen their lead to 50-35 with 3:23 left in the third quarter.
• Walsdorf closed the third quarter with a lay-up as the Trojans maintained a 56-41 lead.
• Dakota State outscored Mayville State 27-13 in the third quarter, thanks to their blazing 71.4 percent from the field (10-of-14 field goals) and drained five 3-pointers in seven attempts.  MSU was held to 36.4 percent from the field (4-of-11 field goals). 
• The Comets could get no closer than nine points after starting the fourth period with a 6-0 run, cutting DSU's lead to 56-47 with 7:30 remaining.
• The Trojans hit two straight 3-pointers from Robson and Koepsell, regaining their double-digit lead at 62-47 with less than six minutes to go.
• Walsdorf made a basket (assisted by Robson) to record the largest lead of the game at 71-50 with 2:36 left.
• DSU outscored MSU 19-15 in the final quarter.  The Trojans shot a sizzling 56.7 percent from the field (17-of-30 field goals) in the second half and held the Comets to 39.1 percent (9-of-23 field goals).  DSU was 8-of-14 from the 3-point arc in the final twenty minutes of the game.
• Koepsell led the Trojans with 21 points off the bench.  She was 7-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-10 from the 3-point line, and converted 2-of-3 free-throws.  She had five rebounds.  Aslesen added 20 points on her 7-of-12 field goals and 4-of-5 from the free-throw line.  She had five rebounds and recorded three blocks.
• Robson tallied 15 points (6-of-11 field goals) and dished out a game-high six assists for DSU.  Giles had nine points, four rebounds and four assists.  Courtney Menning produced four assists.  Walsdorf scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds.
• Ten Dakota State recorded at least a steal in the game.  Walsdorf led the team with two steals. 
• Zrust scored a game-high 26 points in the game for the Comets.  She was 7-of-12 from the field and made 12-of-14 free-throws.  She stole the ball five times.  Danneka Voegeli posted a double-double of 12 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. 
• Erin Walcker had eight points for MSU.  CJ Decker had five assists and six rebounds. 
• Dakota State shot 45 percent overall from the field (27-of-60 field goals) compared to Mayville State 33.3 percent (16-of-48 field goals).  The Trojans drained 10 3-pointers in 26 attempts (38.5 percent), while the Comets were 1-of-8 from the 3-point arc (12.5 percent).
• MSU went to the free-throw line 30 times, making 23 free-throws (76.7 percent).  DSU was 11-of-14 from the free-throw line (78.6 percent).
• Dakota State had a slim rebounding edge, outrebounding Mayville State 36-35. 
• The Trojans outscored the Comets 9-2 in fast-break points, 26-11 in points off turnover, 32-28 inside the paint, 9-4 in second-chance points and 51-4 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director