December 20, 2022

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) faced the NAIA women's basketball nationally ranked team from the Great Plains Athletic Conference for the second straight game Tuesday evening.  After trailing by three points after the first quarter, the Trojans poured in at least 20 points in the next three quarters to propel to an 80-64 upset victory over Northwestern (Iowa) at Bultman Center (DSU outscored NWIA 67-48 in the final three periods).

It was the second straight victory for Dakota State (who received votes – RV in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) over the NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked teams (defeated No. 22 Briar Cliff, Iowa, 88-83 at DSU Fieldhouse on Dec. 18).  The Trojans notched their 10th win in the last 11 games, raising their overall record to 10-4 on the season.

Northwestern fell to 10-3 overall record.  DSU earned their second straight victory playing at Bultman Center (defeated NWIA 77-63 on Nov. 11, 2020).  The Trojans avenged their last meeting held at DSU Fieldhouse (NWIA won 63-60 on Dec. 16, 2021). 

Dakota State takes their Christmas break this week and returns to action next Friday.  The Trojans wrap up their non-conference schedule against another foe from the Great Plains Athletic Conference, visiting Morningside (Iowa) at RVSC-Allee Gym.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. in Sioux City, Iowa.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 80, (15) Northwestern (Iowa) 64 – FINAL

• Hannah Nerem made a jump shot followed by Taylor VanderVelde's layup to give Northwestern a 4-0 lead with eight minutes, thirty-four seconds on the clock.
• Elsie Aslesen drained a 3-pointer to snap DSU's scoring drought, trailing 4-3 with 8:22 to go in the first period.
• Aslesen hit a layup to give Dakota State a 13-12 lead with 4:53 remaining in the first quarter.
• Both teams struggled to score for the rest of the first period as the Red Raiders held the Trojans scoreless.  Hali Anderson made a layup as the first quarter expired to give NWIA a 16-13 lead.
• Northwestern shot 43.8 percent in the first ten minutes of the game (7-of-18 field goals) and held Dakota State to 29.4 percent (5-of-17 field goals).
• Trailing 22-19, Sidney Fick drained a 3-pointer as the Trojans tied the game at 22-22 with 6:35 to go before halftime.
• Both teams battled through a tightly closed second quarter before DSU made a scoring run toward the end of the second quarter.
• Holding a 31-29 lead, Morgan Huber hit a 3-pointer to spark DSU's quick 5-0 scoring run.  After Angela Slattery stole the ball, she dished an assist to Savannah Walsdorf for a layup to open a 36-29 lead with less than a minute to go in the second.
• Dakota State led 36-31 by halftime.  The Trojans outscored the Red Raiders 23-15 in the second period, highlighted by 8-of-16 field goals including 6-of-12 from the 3-point line (thanks to Caitlin Dyer who went 3-of-3 from the 3-point arc in the second quarter).
• With DSU holding a slim 44-42 lead in the third quarter, Walsdorf and Lilli Mackley hit back-to-back 3-pointers to fuel their 9-0 scoring run for the first double dight lead of the game.
• Slattery made a basket with 2:48 to go in the third quarter, ballooning Dakota State's lead to 53-42.
• Payton Beckman ended NWIA's scoring drought with a 3-pointer, trimming DSU's lead to 53-45 with 2:27 to go in the third.
• Aslesen closed the third period with a layup as Dakota State stretched their lead to 60-47.
• DSU outscored NWIA 24-16 in the first ten minutes of the second half.
• The Trojans' lead continued to grow as Courtney Menning drained a 3-pointer for a 65-49 lead with less than eight minutes to go (assisted by Walsdorf).
• Dakota State posted its biggest lead of the game at 80-55 after Walsdorf's basket with 2:24 remaining, securing the victory.
• DSU outscored NWIA 20-17 in the final quarter.
• Four Dakota State players scored in double digits, paced by Aslesen with 19 points on her 5-of-8 field goals, 2-of-4 3-pointers, and hit 7-of-8 free-throws.  She also grabbed nine rebounds and recorded three blocked shots.
• Mackley added 14 points, four assists, and four rebounds for the Trojans.  Dyer tallied 11 points off the bench on her 4-of-8 field goals, including 3-of-5 from the 3-point line.  She also had three rebounds and three assists.
• Walsdorf scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds, and stole the ball four times for DSU.  Slattery added nine rebounds and three steals off the bench.  Fick scored nine points.  Huber added six points.  Menning had five points and four rebounds. 
• Beckman led the Red Raiders with 11 points and five rebounds off the bench.  VanderVelde, Molly Schany, and Nerem each scored 10 points.  Anderson, VanderVelde, and Schany each had five rebounds.
• Maddie Jones dished out four assists for NWIA.  Anderson, VanderVelde, Schany, Beckman, and Emilee Danner each registered two assists.  Danner had three blocks.
• Dakota State shot 44.4 percent overall from the field, making 28 field goals in 63 attempts.  The Trojans tied a season-high 13 3-pointers in 32 tries (40.6 percent).  Northwestern was 26-of-63 from the field (41.3 percent) and 5-of-14 from the 3-point line (35.7 percent).
• DSU hit 11-of-14 free-throws (78.6 percent).  NWIA was 7-of-8 from the free-throw line (87.5 percent).
• The Trojans won the rebounding battle, collecting 10 more rebounds than the Red Raiders (39-29).  DSU outrebounded NWIA 9-3 on offensive rebounds (Dakota State outscored Northwestern 10-2 in second chance points).

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director