January 29, 2022

Photos credit by Karen Giles

FOREST CITY, Iowa – Six Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball players scored in double figures, erupting for a 114-59 North Star Athletic Association women's basketball victory over Waldorf (Iowa) at Hanson Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.  The Trojans shot a season-high 63.8 percent from the field (44-of-69 field goals), tying for the second most points scored in a single game in the school record book (versus Oglala Lakota, S.D. on Jan. 2, 2015).

Dakota State, ranked No. 24 in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, raised their overall record to 18-7 and 8-1 record in the North Star.  Waldorf suffered its ninth straight setback, falling to 6-15 overall record and 0-9 NSAA conference record.

It was the second straight meeting and third time in the last four meetings that the Trojans had hit the century mark over the Warriors (105 points on Jan. 21 and 110 points on Dec. 12, 2020, at DSU Fieldhouse).

Dakota State continues its four-game North Star Athletic Association road stretch next weekend, visiting Presentation (S.D.) on Friday.  Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at Strode Center in Aberdeen, S.D.

(24) Dakota State (S.D.) 114, Waldorf (Iowa) 59 – FINAL

• Dakota State never trailed in the game, opening with a fast 4-0 lead with one minute into the game after a pair of lay-ups by Elsie Aslesen and Lexi Robson.
• Waldorf could get no closer than two points at 4-2 after a layup by Kaylee Weber with 8:29 on the clock in the first period (DSU led 4-2).
• DSU ballooned its lead to 12-4 after going on an 8-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Jessi Giles (assisted by Courtney Menning) with 7:11 to go in the first.
• Shaylee DeBeer drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Lilli Mackley) to give the Trojans its first double digit lead of the game at 19-9 with 4:39 remaining in the first quarter.
• Dakota State missed only four shots in the first ten minutes of the game, opening with a 29-16 lead.  The Trojans were 12-of-16 from the field, including 3-of-4 from the 3-point arc.  The Warriors were 7-of-17 field goals (41.2 percent).
• Angela Slattery kicked off the second quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers, sparking an 8-0 run to widen DSU's lead to 37-16 with 8:31 on the clock after Courtney Menning's jump shot.
• Dakota State outscored Waldorf 28-19 in the second quarter, earning a 57-35 lead by halftime.  The Trojans shot 11-of-18 from the field in the final ten minutes of the first half (61.1 percent).  The Warriors were 6-of-11 from the field (54.5 percent) but committed 10 turnovers.
• Giles scored the first six points of the third period, followed by DeBeer's and Savannah Walsdorf's baskets to fuel DSU's 10-0 run for a 67-35 lead with 7:32 on the clock.
• Dakota State outscored Waldorf 27-6 in the third quarter, ballooning their lead to 84-41 after Walsdorf's basket by the end of the period.
• DSU was 10-of-20 from the field (50 percent) in the third quarter and held WU to 3-of-17 field goals (17.6 percent). 
• Walsdorf made a layup as the Trojans hit the 100th point of the game with 4:27 remaining (DSU led 100-52). 
• McKenzie Hermanson hit a 3-pointer to give DSU its biggest lead of the game at 114-56 with 1:25 to go in the game.
• The Trojans poured in 30 points in the final quarter compared to the Warriors 18 points.  DSU shot a sizzling 73.3 percent in the final ten minutes (11-of-15 field goals, including 5-of-7 from the 3-point arc).  WU was 8-of-17 from the field (47.1 percent) in the fourth quarter.
• Giles paced Dakota State with 21 points on her 7-of-11 field goals, 3-of-3 3-pointers, and made all four free-throws.  She also dished out three assists and stole the ball twice.  Walsdorf added 20 points on her near perfect from the field (10-of-11 field goals).  She pulled down eight rebounds and recorded five steals.
• DeBeer tallied 11 points off the bench for the Trojans.  Aslesen produced a double-double of 10 points and earned 10 rebounds.  Menning scored 10 points, dished out three assists, and recorded three steals.  Robson had 10 points.  Cheylee Nagel and Hermanson each had nine points.
• Tina Lair-VanMeter led the Warriors with 14 points off the bench on her 7-of-13 field goals.  Sandra Christian added 12 points and four assists.  Lizzie Garza had 11 points. 
• Kayela Willis contributed four assists for WU.  Lindsay Field registered three steals.
• Dakota State also drained 13 3-pointers in the game in 23 attempts (56.5 percent).  DSU converted 13-of-17 free-throws (76.5 percent).
• Waldorf was held to 38.7 percent overall from the field (24-of-62 field goals) and 7-of-19 from the 3-point arc (36.8 percent).  The Warriors struggled at the free-throw line, going 4-of-10 free-throws.
• DSU outrebounded WU 31-19 in the game.  The Trojans outscored the Warriors 37-15 in points off turnovers, 58-30 inside the paint, and 43-21 in bench points. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director