Box Score

#14 Dakota State (S.D.) DSU 27-4

#1 Thomas More (Ky.) TM 28-1

#14 Dakota State (S.D.) DSU

27-4

Final

Mar. 20, 2021

#1 Thomas More (Ky.) TM

28-1

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	F
#14 Dakota State (S.D.) DSU	4	16	17	10	47
#1 Thomas More (Ky.) TM	21	21	17	13	72

Game Recap: #8 Women's Basketball | 3/20/2021 12:00:00 AM

Top-ranked Thomas More (Ky.) ends Trojans' historic women's basketball season in NAIA quarterfinals

March 20, 2021

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu and Karen Giles

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Top-ranked Thomas More (Ky.) of Mid-South Conference held No. 9 national seed (No. 14 in the final NAIA national poll) Dakota State (S.D.) of the North Star Athletic Association to 27.8 percent from the field, ending Trojans' historic season by the score of 72-47 in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament's quarterfinals Saturday afternoon at Tyson Events Center.

Dakota State, who made their first trip to the NAIA national quarterfinals since 2006, ended their season with an amazing overall record of 27-4. The 2020-21 squad had set school records with 23-game winning streak, 27 overall wins and 2,529 total points.

Thomas More, who made their second straight national appearance in the second season with the NAIA, won their 13th straight game to raise their overall record of 28-1. The Saints move on to the national semifinals on Monday night against the winner of No. 5 seed Morningside (Iowa)-No. 13 seed Concordia (Neb.) at 6 p.m.

(1 seed, No. 1 ranking) Thomas More (Ky.) 72, (9 seed, No. 14 ranking) Dakota State (S.D.) 47 – FINAL

Dakota State grabbed the first lead of the game at 2-0 after Courtney Menning's basket with nine minutes and fifty-two seconds on the clock.
Jessi Giles added a field goal (assisted by Menning) to knot the game at 4-4 with 7:07 left in the first.
Thomas More held Dakota State scoreless for the rest of the first quarter, sparking a 17-0 outburst. A 3-pointer by Taylor Clos gave the Saints a 21-4 lead by the end of the first.
The Saints were 43.8 percent from the field (7-of-16 field goals) in the first quarter compared to the Trojans 16.7 percent (2-of-12 field goals).
DSU ended its scoring drought with a 3-pointer by Menning (assisted by Giles), trailing 21-7 with 9:23 to go in the second.
TM maintained their control through out the second quarter before DSU trimmed their lead down to 14 points. Dakota State trailed 32-18 with 2:24 to go before halftime after a pair of free-throws by Ashlyn Macdonald.
Thomas More closed the second period with a 10-2 run, stretching their lead to 42-20 after a 3-pointer by Clos. TM outscored DSU 21-16 in the second.
The Saints shot 44.4 percent from the field (16-of-36 field goals), while the Trojans were 29.2 percent from the field (7-of-24 field goals) in the first half.
Thomas More led as many as 27 points in the third quarter. The Trojans would cut the Saints' lead to 59-37 by the end of the third. Both teams scored 17 points in the first ten minutes of the second half.
Dakota State could get no closer than 19 points at 63-44 after Cheylee Nagel's basket (assisted with Savannah Walsdorf) with 3:20 remaining.
TM was 34.6 percent from the field (9-of-26 field goals) compared to DSU 26.7 percent (8-of-30 field goals) in the second half.
Menning led the Trojans with 12 points. Giles added 11 points. Menning and Giles each added two steals.
Elsie Aslesen pulled down nine rebounds for Dakota State. Morgan Koepsell added eight rebounds. Lexi Robson and Walsdorf each dished out three assists.
Clos and Summer Secrist each scored 12 points for Thomas More. Secrist stole the ball four times, while her teammate Clos added three steals.
Briana McNutt and Alexah Chrisman each had 10 points for the Saints. Emily Simon tallied eight points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Zoie Barth had nine points. Courtney Hurst had eight points.
TM shot 40.3 percent overall from the field (25-of-62 field goals) compared to DSU 15-of-54 field goals. The Saints were 9-of-31 from the 3-point arc, while the Trojans were 5-of-17 3-pointers.
Thomas More converted 13-of-17 free-throws (76.5 percent). Dakota State made 12-of-16 from the free-throw line (75 percent).
TM outrebounded DSU 43-37 in the game. The Saints contributed 21 assists compared to the Trojans 13 assists.
It was the final career collegiate game for DSU's Lex Evans. She was named to the 2021 North Star Athletic Association Champions of Character recipient last month. She finished her career with 380 points, 276 rebounds and 49 blocks.