February 11, 2022
PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu and Karen Giles
MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) outscored Dickinson State (N.D.) 27-6 in points off turnovers Friday evening, clinching at least a share of the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball regular-season title with a 69-49 home victory at DSU Fieldhouse. The Trojans won their fifth straight game and completed their NSAA regular-season series sweep of the Blue Hawks for the fifth consecutive season.
Dakota State, who is currently ranked No. 25 in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, raised their overall record to 21-7. The Trojans also lifted their NSAA conference record to 11-1. Dickinson State ended their three-game winning streak, falling to 9-19 overall record and 7-5 NSAA conference record.
Dakota State, which already secured a home court for the opening round in the North Star conference postseason tournament on Feb. 22, wraps up their regular-season home schedule Saturday. The Trojans host Valley City State (N.D.) with a 3 p.m. tip-off at DSU Fieldhouse. There will be a brief Seniors Day ceremony after the conclusion of the game.
Dickinson State stays on the road as they visit Bellevue (Neb.) in another North Star action. The game is set for 3 p.m. at Gordon Lozier Center in Bellevue.
(25) Dakota State (S.D.) 69, Dickinson State (N.D.) 49 – FINAL
- Dickinson State opened the game with a 4-0 lead with nine minutes and seven seconds on the clock after a pair of baskets from Courtney Olson and Kailyn Groves.
- Trailing 6-2, Angela Slattery drained a 3-pointer followed by a basket by Elsie Aslesen to spark a 5-0 scoring run to earn their first lead of the game with 7:46 on the clock.
Both teams battled back and forth for the rest of the first period. There was a total of five ties and three lead changes as both teams were knotted at 18-18 by the end of the first quarter.- Dakota State shot 6-of-11 from the field (54.5 percent) in the first ten minutes of the game. Dickinson State was 45 percent from the field (9-of-20 field goals, highlighted by outrebounding DaSU 12-6 (7-1 on offensive boards).
- Down 24-23, the Trojans used an 8-0 scoring outburst capped by Savannah Walsdorf's basket for a 31-24 lead with 3:05 to go before halftime.
- After Shaylee DeBeer's 3-point play to balloon the Trojans' lead to 34-26, the Blue Hawks scored the final three points of the second quarter to trim DaSU's lead to 34-29.
- Dakota State shot 44 percent in the first half (11-of-25 field goals) compared to Dickinson State 42.4 percent (14-of-33 field goals).
- Leading 36-31 early in the third quarter, the Trojans held the Blue Hawks scoreless for nearly five minutes. DaSU fueled a 9-0 scoring run to widen their lead to 45-31 after DeBeer's basket with 4:35 left.
- Lexi Robson drained a 3-pointer to extend DaSU's lead to 50-37 by the end of the third quarter.
- The Trojans outscored the Blue Hawks 16-8 in the third period. DaSU shot 7-of-16 from the field and held DiSU to 3-of-10 field goals. Dickinson State committed nine turnovers in the third quarter.
Dakota State maintained its double digits for the rest of the game to secure the victory. Dickinson State could get no closer than 13 points twice in the late fourth quarter (60-47 with 3:31 left and 62-49 with 2:27 remaining).- Dakota State scored the final seven points of the game to complete the final score.
- The Trojans outscored the Blue Hawks 19-12 in the fourth quarter.
- DaSU was 14-of-31 from the field (45.2 percent) in the final twenty minutes. DiSU was held to 9-of-27 field goals (33.3 percent).
- Five Trojan players scored in double figures, paced by Aslesen with 13 points. She also grabbed nine rebounds and registered two blocks. Robson added 12 points. She dished out four assists and stole the ball a game-high four times.
- Walsdorf and Jessi Giles each added 11 points for Dakota State. Walsdorf had seven rebounds and three steals. DeBeer scored 10 points, grabbed four rebounds, and contributed four assists off the bench. Ashlyn Macdonald had six points and four rebounds.
- Olson led the Blue Hawks with a game-high 20 points on her 10-of-18 field goals. She recorded three steals. Groves added 10 points and six rebounds.
- Lauren Baumberger had eight points, nine rebounds and two blocks off the bench for Dickinson State. Ashlie Watts had three assists.
- Dakota State shot 44.6 percent overall from the field (25-of-56 field goals) and held Dickinson State to 38.3 percent (23-of-60 field goals). The Trojans were 6-of-22 from the 3-point arc, while the Blue Hawks were unable to make a 3-pointer in 12 tries.
- DaSU converted 13-of-20 free-throws. DiSU was 3-of-6 free-throws.
- The Blue Hawks outrebounded the Trojans 39-35.
Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director
