December 1, 2022

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) held NCAA Division II Minnesota-Morris to four first quarter points, cruising to their eighth straight victory with a 78-39 women's basketball non-conference victory Thursday evening at DSU Fieldhouse.  It was DSU's 34th victory in the last 37 home games.

Dakota State, who returned to the receiving votes (RV) section in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, lifted their overall record to 8-3.  It was an exhibition contest for Minnesota-Morris.

It was the second straight victory for the Trojans over the same mascot's name Cougars (defeated Saint Xavier, Ill. on Nov. 27 at DSU Fieldhouse).

Dakota State opens their 14-game North Star Athletic Association women's basketball schedule Saturday afternoon.  The Trojans take on their traveling partner Bellevue (Neb.) with a 3 p.m. tip-off at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.

Dakota State (S.D.) 78, Minnesota-Morris 39 – FINAL

• Minnesota-Morris grabbed the first lead of the game with 9 minutes, 8 seconds on the clock as Jay Kwateh hit a basket (UMM leads 2-0).
• Dakota State missed their first nine shots of the game, snapping that drought with 6:18 left after Elsie Aslesen made a layup to knot the game at 2-2.
• The Trojans went on to make 9-of-12 field goals in the final 6:18 of the first period.  Savannah Walsdorf capped the first quarter with a 3-pointer (assisted by Olivia Ritter) to widen DSU's lead to 22-4.
• Dakota State was 9-of-21 from the field in the first ten minutes of the game (42.9 percent) and held Minnesota-Morris to 2-of-7 field goals (28.6 percent).  The Trojans forced the Cougars to nine turnovers (DSU scored 14 points off turnovers).
• Leading 32-13, DSU scored 15 straight points to balloon their lead to 47-13 after Angela Slattery drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Ritter).
• Malory Anderson made a basket with no time left in the second quarter as UMM cut DSU's lead to 51-17 by halftime.
• Dakota State outscored Minnesota-Morris 29-13 in the final ten minutes of the first half.
• Miakken Vincent made a layup (assisted by Slattery) to give the Trojans their biggest lead of the game at 63-21 with 5:55 to go in the third quarter.
• Lilli Mackley also made a basket inside the paint for another biggest lead of the game at 65-23 with 5:16 on the clock in the third.
• Dakota State led 69-31 after three quarters. 
• The Trojans maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game to secure the victory. 
• DSU's balanced scoring attack saw 10 different players scored in the game, led by Walsodrf and Aslesen with 13 points each.  Walsdorf tallied five rebounds and stole the ball four times.  Aslesen had eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
• Sidney Fick scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Trojans.  Morgan Huber had nine points off the bench.  Caitlin Dyer had eight points.  Slattery had six points and three assists.  Courtney Menning and Ritter each contributed three assists.  Ritter stole the ball three times.  Mackley had five rebounds.
• Anderson led the Cougars with nine points and six rebounds.  Kwateh added eight points.  Shelby Wilkinson pulled down six rebounds. 
• Dakota State shot 41 percent from the field (32-of-78 field goals) compared to Minnesota-Morris 36 percent (18-of-50 field goals).  The Trojans hit 6-of-31 3-point field goals and held the Cougars to 1-of-9 from the 3-point arc.
• DSU had 20 more rebounds than UMM (50-30).  The Trojans outrebounded the Cougars 21-4 on offensive boards.
• Dakota State outscored Minnesota-Morris 18-0 in fast-break points, 34-6 in points off turnovers, and 52-22 inside the paint.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director