November 27, 2022

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credit by Cody Welu

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) returned home to DSU Fieldhouse for their second home contest this season Sunday afternoon, hosting Saint Xavier (Ill.) of Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) in both teams' first-ever all-time meeting.  The Trojans used a 26-12 first quarter run to extend their winning streak to seven games (currently tied for seventh longest winning streak in the DSU women's basketball school record book, third time in the last three season that DSU had produced winning streak – 23 straight wins in 2020-21 and 11 straight wins in 2021-22) after an 82-69 victory over the Cougars.

Dakota State earned their 33rd win in the last 36 home games at DSU Fieldhouse, winning their last five home contests.  The Trojans raised their overall record to 7-3.  Saint Xavier, who was the preseason favorite to win the CCAC conference, fell to 6-4 overall record.  Both teams qualified for the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament last season.

The Trojans stay home Thursday evening as they welcome NCAA Division III Minnesota-Morris.  Tip-off from the DSU Fieldhouse is set for 6 p.m.

Dakota State (S.D.) 82, Saint Xavier (Ill.) 69 – FINAL

• Dakota State and Saint Xavier battled through two ties and two lead changes in the first five-and-half plus minutes of the game.
• Trailing 11-9, the Trojans roared with a 13-0 scoring outburst to grab a 22-11 lead with 1:51 on the clock after a pair of free-throws by Morgan Huber.
• Five different DSU players – Olivia Ritter, Miakken Vincent, Lilli Mackley, Angela Slattery, and Huber – scored during the scoring run.
• Savannah Walsdorf made a lay-up to give Dakota State a 26-14 lead with less than a minute left in the first period.
• DSU shot 9-of-18 from the field in the first ten minutes of the game and held SXU to 4-of-19 field goals (21.1 percent).
• After Claire Austin made a basket to kick off the second quarter for the Cougars, the Trojans used three different scorers – Walsdorf, Caitlin Dyer, and Sidney Fick – to ignite a 6-0 scoring run to balloon their lead to 32-14 with 7:32 on the clock.
• Dyer made a lay-up as Dakota State led as many as 19 points at 39-20 with 3:46 remaining before intermission.
• Slattery closed the second period with a 3-point play, widening DSU's lead to 48-30. 
• The Trojans shot 51.5 percent in the first half (17-of-33 field goals), while the Cougars were held to 27.5 percent shooting from the field (11-of-40 field goals).
• DSU maintained their double-digit lead in the third quarter between 14- and 20-points.  The Trojans posted their largest lead of the game at 62-42 after a 3-pointer by Slattery (assisted by Walsdorf).
• Dakota State also registered the biggest lead of the game at 64-44 after a pair of free-throws by Mackley with less than three minutes to go in the third.
• The Trojans led 65-50 after three quarters.
• Saint Xavier could get no closer than 12 points on four different occasions in the fourth quarter.  Austin made a pair of free-throws with 8:03 remaining as SXU trailed 69-57.
• The final occasion when the Cougars came within 12 points was with 4:05 left when Alyssa Streeter hit a lay-up.
• SXU shot 15-of-33 from the field in the final twenty minutes of the game (15-of-33 field goals) and held DSU to 8-of-32 field goals (25 percent).  The Trojans hit 16-of-21 from the free-throw line while the Cougars were 8-of-10 free-throws in the second half.
• Dakota State's balanced scoring attack saw five different players hitting double-digits, paced by Mackley with 15 points off the bench.  She was perfect 11-of-11 from the free-throw line, tying for the second best single-game free-throw percentage based on free-throw attempts with Sara Nelson versus Mayville State (N.D.) on Feb. 15, 2007.  Mackley also tied for 10th most single-game free-throw made in DSU women's basketball record book. 
• Slattery added a double-double of 11 points and pulled down 11 rebounds off the bench for DSU.  Elsie Aslesen, Ritter, and Dyer each scored 10 points.  Aslesen pulled down six rebounds and recorded two blocked shots. 
• Walsdorf had seven points and five rebounds for the Trojans.  Courtney Menning tallied nine points and four rebounds.  Walsdorf, Menning, and Slattery each dished out two assists.  Sidney Fick, Walsdorf, Vincent, Slattery, Mackley, and Huber each stole the ball twice.
• Alyssa Crenshaw produced a double-double of 25 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds for Saint Xavier.  She was 10-of-17 from the field and 5-of-8 at the free-throw line.  Austin added a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.  She dished out five assists, recorded two blocked shots, and stole the ball twice.
• Aaliyahna Derrell added nine points and three assists for the Cougars.  Jaidn Green had six points and seven rebounds. 
• Dakota State shot 38.5 percent overall from the field (25-of-65 field goals) compared to Saint Xavier 35.6 percent (26-of-73 field goals).  Both teams made three 3-pointers in the game.
• The Trojans hit 29-of-36 free-throws (80.6 percent).  The Cougars were 14-of-22 from the free-throw line (63.6 percent). 
• SXU outrebounded DSU 48-46. 
• Dakota State outscored Saint Xavier 21-6 in points off turnovers and 41-13 in bench points.  Both teams scored 44 points inside the paint.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director