February 27, 2022

PHOTO GALLERY - Photos credits by Cody Welu, Karen Giles, Donald Weidler

WATERTOWN, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) and Bellevue (Neb.) met for the second straight year in the North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Postseason title game Sunday afternoon, this time in the Civic Arena (last year's title game was held at DSU Fieldhouse in Madison, S.D.).  After a closely tight battle in the first period, the Trojans pulled away and maintained control to earn an 83-69 victory over the Bruins. 

Dakota State, top-seeded in the NSAA Postseason tournament and ranked No. 24 in the final NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, extended their winning streak to 10 games and won their 15th game in the last 16 games.  The Trojans raised their overall record to 26-7 and completed their back-to-back sweeps of NSAA regular-season and postseason titles.

Bellevue, seeded sixth in the conference tournament, ended their season with an overall record of 15-17. 

The Trojans won their sixth straight meeting with the Bruins since last season (went 3-0 record in both seasons including the title game). 

Dakota State earned the North Star Athletic Association's automatic bid to the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament Opening Round, which is set for March 11-12 at 16 different sites.  The Trojans won't found out who they will play in the opening round until Thursday via through NAIA's selection show on PlayNAIA Facebook page at 6 p.m.

(24) Dakota State (S.D.) 83, Bellevue (Neb.) 69 – FINAL

• Dakota State and Bellevue went through four lead changes and three ties in the first quarter, with the lead no greater by four points by BU.
• Two-time NSAA conference Player-of-the-Year Jessi Giles made a lay-up to give Dakota State a 17-15 lead by the end of the first quarter. 
• Both teams struggled from the field, shooting 6-of-16 field goals (37.5 percent) in the first ten minutes.
• DSU kicked off the second quarter with an 8-2 scoring run capped by a 3-pointer from Giles.  The Bruins were forced to call a timeout with 7:22 on the clock as the Trojans ballooned their lead to 25-17.
• Bellevue answered by scoring five straight points to cut Dakota State's lead to 25-22 with 6:44 left after a 3-pointer by Faith Ross.
• Morgan Huber drained a 3-pointer to cap DSU's 8-0 scoring run for the first double-digit lead of the game at 33-22 with 3:01 left before halftime.
• Dakota State led 37-28 by halftime.  The Trojans shot 37.1 percent from the field in the first half (13-of-35 field goals) and 7-of-16 from the 3-point arc.  The Bruins were 36.4 percent (12-of-33 field goals) and 2-of-12 3-pointers. 
• After DSU led 39-28 to start the third period, BU scored four straight points to trim their deficit to 39-32 after Elexis Martinez's basket  with 8:01 on the clock.
• Dakota State led as many as 16 points in the third quarter, starting with Savannah Walsdorf's lay-up during transition for a 56-40 lead with 2:33 to go. 
• The Trojans also led by 16 points at 58-42 after Shaylee DeBeer's field goal with 2:11 on the clock in the third.
• Dakota State outscored Bellevue 28-22 in a high scoring third period, leading 65-50.  The Trojans shot 47.1 percent from the field (8-of-17 field goals) and hit 10-of-14 free-throws.  The Bruins were 5-of-11 field goals (45.5 percent) and converted 11-of-14 free-throws.
• Elsie Aslesen completed a 3-point play to start the fourth quarter, giving the Trojans its largest lead of the game at 68-50 with 9:47 remaining.
• DSU maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game to secure the victory.  BU outscored DSU 19-18 in the final quarter.
• Dakota State was 13-of-29 field goals (44.8 percent) in the second half compared to Bellevue 12-of-31 field goals (38.7 percent).  DSU was 18-of-23 free-throws in the final twenty minutes (78.3 percent), while BU was 16-of-20 free-throws (80 percent).
• Four Trojan players scored in double digit, paced by Giles with 16 points.  Lexi Robson added 13 points and dished out five assists.  Aslesen scored 11 points, grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, and registered three blocks.
• Angela Slattery tallied 10 points off the bench for Dakota State.  DeBeer had nine points.  Walsdorf had eight points and four rebounds.   Huber had eight points and contributed three assists.  Robson and Huber each stole the ball twice.
• Ashlyn Macdonald had four points and six rebounds off the bench for DSU. 
• BU's Martinez was 7-of-15 from the field and 2-of-4 free-throws for 16 points.  She had six rebounds.  Asha Scott scored 11 points and collected seven rebounds off the bench.
• Laura Jurek had 10 points, seven rebounds, and five assists for Bellevue.  Ross had eight points and four rebounds.  Ashtyn Arnold and Delaney VanBlaricon each had seven points off the bench.
• Taeha Pankey, Miranda Hennings, and Arnold each stole the ball twice for the Bruins. 
• Dakota State shot 40.6 percent overall from the field (26-of-64 field goals) and held Bellevue to 37.5 percent (24-of-64 field goals).  The Trojans drained 9-of-28 3-pointers, while the Bruins hit 3-of-21 from the 3-point line.
• DSU converted 22-of-29 free-throws (75.9 percent).  BU was 18-of-22 from the free-throw line (81.8 percent).
• The Bruins outrebounded the Trojans 43-40. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director