March 11, 2022

Photos credits by Karen Giles

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NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT OPENING ROUND SCHEDULE - BRACKET

BILLINGS, Mont. – Dakota State (S.D.) built up a double-digit lead in the second half in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament Opening Round Friday evening against Hope International (Calif.) in the first-ever meeting at Fortin Education Center, hosted by Rocky Mountain (Mont.).  The Trojans held off the Royals' late come back for a 69-63 victory to move on Saturday's Opening Round 'championship' game.

Dakota State, No. 10 seed in the Duer bracket in the Billings' pod representing the North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament's champion, won their 11th straight meet and raised their overall record to 27-7.  The Trojans also tied the school single season record of 27 wins (2021).  Hope International ended their season at 26-6 overall record, losing for the third time in the last four games.  The Royals were the No. 7 seed in the Duer bracket, earning the at-large bid from the Golden State Association Conference.

Dakota State will be playing in their second straight NAIA Opening Round 'championship' game on Saturday evening, facing host-team Rocky Mountain.  The No. 2 seed Battlin' Bears pulled away late for a 63-44 victory over No. 15 seed Reinhardt (Ga.).  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. (Central Time)/5 p.m. (Mountain Time) at Fortin Education Center.

(10 seed) Dakota State (S.D.) 69, (7 seed) Hope International (Calif.) 63 – FINAL

• Dakota State roared to a 7-0 opening run in the first one minute and thirteen seconds, sparked by a 3-pointer by Courtney Menning followed by a pair of lay-ups by Lexi Robson and Jessi Giles.
• Hope International answered with a 12-0 outburst, holding the Trojans scoreless for nearly four minutes.  Rhianne Omori drained a 3-pointer as the Royals earned a 12-7 lead with 4:51 left on the clock in the first period.
• DSU ended its scoring drought with Menning's lay-up with 4:29 on the clock, trailing 12-9.
• HIU led 19-15 after the first quarter.  The Royals shot 7-of-16 from the field (43.8 percent) compared to the Trojans 6-of-17 field goals (35.3 percent).
• Dakota State and Hope International went through a see-saw battle in the second quarter, with the lead no greater than four points by both teams.
• Leading 31-30, Savannah Walsdorf drained a 3-pointer with less than 15 seconds to go as DSU grabbed a 34-30 halftime lead.
• Dakota State outscored Hope International 19-11 in the second period, thanks to 53.3 percent shooting in the quarter (8-of-15 field goals).  HIU was held to 5-of-15 field goals (33.3 percent) in the second quarter.
• At 41-37, Angela Slattery scored the next five points as the Trojans ballooned their lead to 46-37 with 5:03 on the clock in the third period.
• Dakota State earned its first double digit lead of the game at 49-39 after Elsie Aslesen completed a 3-point play with 3:36 left in the third.
• Aslesen followed up with a lay-up to widen DSU's lead to 51-39 with 3:04 left in the third.
• Walsdorf nailed down a pair of free-throws as the Trojans registered its biggest lead of the game at 55-42 with 1:21 to go in the third period.
• Morgan Huber closed the third quarter with an offensive rebound and made a jump shot to put DSU up 57-47.
• The Trojans outscored the Royals 23-17 in the first ten minutes of the second half.  DSU shot 50 percent in the third quarter (9-of-18 field goals) compared to HIU 6-of-15 field goals (40 percent).
• With DSU leading 63-55, Hope International went on a 6-0 scoring run to trim their deficit to 63-61 with 4:15 remaining after Ana Resendiz's 3-pointer.
• Lexi Robson drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Giles) to extend DSU's lead to 66-61 with 3:02 left.
• The Royals could get no closer than three points at 66-63.  The Trojans held HIU scoreless in the final 1:34 of the game, securing the victory for the Trojans after Gilles' lay-up with less than a minute to go in the game.
• HIU outscored DSU 16-12 in the fourth quarter.
• Four Dakota State players scored in double digits, paced by Giles with 14 points.  She also pulled down six rebounds.  Walsdorf added 11 points and five rebounds.  Menning and Robson each added 10 points.  Robson dished out three assists.
• Slattery tallied seven points for the Trojans.  Aslesen had five points and seven rebounds.  She recorded three blocked shots.  Giles and Shaylee DeBeer each recorded two assists.
• Shiane Talley led the Royals with 18 points and nine rebounds.  She contributed four assists.  Omori added 14 points, five rebounds, and three steals.  Resendiz had 11 points off the bench.
• Jeanette Fine, Ysabelle Halemano, and Shaillissa Jarrett each added six points for Hope International. 
• Dakota State shot 42.6 percent overall from the field (26-of-61 field goals) and held Hope International to 37.3 percent (25-of-67 field goals).  The Royals were 7-of-26 from the 3-point arc, while the Trojans were 6-of-29 3-pointers.
• DSU outrebounded HIU 42-37. 
• The Trojans outscored the Royals 19-13 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director