November 12, 2022

La CROSSE, Wis. – Dakota State used a 25-6 first quarter closing run Saturday afternoon, cruising past Indiana Northwest 100-67 on the second day of the Viterbo (Wis.) Classic at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium.  The Trojans earned their third straight victory and handed the RedHawks its first setback of the season after winning four in a row to open the season.

Dakota State, receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Poll, evened their overall record to 3-3.  Indiana Northwest, a member of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, fell to 4-1 overall record.

DSU returns home Tuesday for their season home opener.  The Trojans host Bacone (Okla.) with a 6 p.m. at tip-off at DSU Fieldhouse.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 100, Indiana Northwest 67 – FINAL

• Dakota State and Indiana Northwest went through a closely tight battle in the first two-and-half minutes with four lead changes and two ties.
• Makala Best hit a 3-pointer gave INU a 9-8 lead with 7:35 on the clock.  Olivia Ritter answered with a 3-pointer on the next possession (assisted by Lilli Mackley) as DSU regained their lead at 11-9. 
• Holding a slim 13-11 lead, the Trojans ignited a 15-2 scoring outburst to balloon their lead to 28-13 after Courtney Menning's basket.
• Sidney Fick capped the first quarter with a 33-15 lead with a lay-up (assisted by Menning) with 10 seconds left.
• Dakota State shot 13-of-23 from the field, including 5-of-9 from the 3-point arc, in the first quarter.  Indiana Northwest was held to 7-of-17 field goals and 1-of-5 from the 3-point line.
• The Trojans started the second quarter with a 13-2 scoring run in the first three-plus minutes, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Morgan Huber (assisted by Angela Slattery) for a 46-17 lead.
• Caitlin Dyer drained a 3-poitner (assisted by Savannah Walsdorf) to produce the biggest lead of the first half at 59-26 with 1:30 to go before halftime.
• Indiana Northwest closed the second period with a 6-2 run, as Dyer ended the scoring drought with five seconds to go.  Dakota State led 61-32 by halftime.
• DSU outscored INU 28-17 in the second quarter.  The Trojans shot 11-of-18 from the field (4-of-8 from the 3-point arc) compared to the RedHawks 8-of-13 field goals.
• Leading 65-40 with 6:40 on the clock in the third period, Dakota State held Indiana Northwest scoreless for nearly five minutes and fueled a 19-0 outburst to open an 84-40 lead with 1:59 on the clock after Slattery's lay-up (assisted by Huber).
• Dakota State led 84-46 after three quarters, outscoring Indiana Northwest 23-14.  The Trojans were 10-of-24 from the field in the first ten minutes of the second half (41.7 percent) and held the RedHawks to 5-of-18 field goals (27.8 percent).
• The Trojans posted their biggest lead of the game at 97-61 with five minutes to go after Ritter's layup (assisted by Slattery).
• Brooke Gunderson nailed down DSU's 100th point in the game for the first time this season with a free-throw with 2:17 left (DSU led 100-58).
• INU outscored DSU 21-16 in the final quarter.
• Five different Trojans played hit double digits in their balanced scoring attack.  Walsdorf poured in 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds.  She was 8-of-10 from the field and dished out three assists.  Mackley and Slattery each added 14 points.  Ritter scored 13 points.
• Fick tallied 12 points and grabbed six rebounds for DSU.  Dyer scored nine points off the bench.  Menning added eight points and four assists.  Huber had eight points.
• Huber recorded a game-high five steals for Dakota State.  Walsdorf, Fick, and Slattery each stole the ball three times.
• Michaela Schmidt led the RedHawks with 14 points and seven rebounds.  Best added nine points.  Tiara Jackson scored seven points, earned six rebounds, and stole the ball three times.
• Dakota State shot 50 percent overall from the field, making 38 shots in 76 tries.  The Trojans also drained 13 3-pointers in 35 attempts and converted 11-of-15 free-throws.
• Indiana Wesleyan was 27-of-61 from the field (44.3 percent) and was held to 3-of-17 from the 3-point line.  INU was 10-of-16 from the free-throw line.
• The Trojans outrebounded the RedHawks 41-37.
• DSU outscored INU 24-9 in fast break points and 34-26 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director