January 7, 2023

MADISON, S.D. – Dakota State (S.D.) continued its dominance of the North Star Athletic Association foes on their home court at DSU Fieldhouse, winning their ninth straight home game (dating back from last season) Saturday afternoon with an 80-53 victory over Dickinson State (N.D.).  The Trojans won for the 37th time in the last 40 home games and extended their winning streak to 13 games in the series meeting with the Blue Hawks.

Dakota State, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, raised their overall record to 12-5 and 2-1 record in the league.  The Trojans recorded their 12th win in the last 14 games.  Dickinson State dropped their fifth straight game, falling to 5-12 overall record and winless in three North Star conference games.

Dakota State begins their North Star four-game road stretch next weekend, visiting Mayville State (N.D.) Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Presentation (S.D.) next Saturday at 3 p.m.  Dickinson State returns home next weekend as they play their first home conference contests of the season versus Waldorf (Iowa) Friday and Viterbo (Wis.) next Saturday.

(RV) Dakota State (S.D.) 80, Dickinson State (N.D.) 53 – FINAL

• Both teams struggled to find their offense rhythm in the opening minutes of the game.  The Blue Hawks opened the game with a 2-0 lead with less than eight minutes to go after a basket by Lindsey Peterson.
• Elsie Aslesen converted a free-throw as the Trojans trailed 2-1 with 7:44 on the clock in the first period.
• The Blue Hawks would extend their lead to 4-1 as Samantha Oase made a layup (assisted by PetersoN0 with 7:16 left in the first.
• Dakota State's first basket did not come until 6:05 mark of the first period.  Sidney Fick made a basket inside the paint as the Trojans trailed 4-3.
• Behind 6-3, DaSU scored 10 straight points by making four straight baskets (from Lilli Mackley, Aslesen, and Olivia Ritter) coupled with a pair of free throws by Aslesen for a 13-6 lead with 1:06 to go.
• McKenzie Johnson drained a long 3-point shot from the backcourt (near the half court) as the Blue Hawks trimmed the Trojans' lead to 15-11.
• The Trojans outscored the Blue Hawks 12-4 inside the paint in the first ten minutes of the game.
• After DiSU kicked off the second quarter with a basket from Peterson (DaSU led 15-13), DaSU went on a 9-0 scoring run to balloon their lead to 24-13 after Morgan Huber's 3-pointer (assisted by Caitlin Dyer).  The Blue Hawks were forced to call a timeout with 4:29 to go before halftime.
• The Trojans' lead grew to 17 points as Courtney Menning made a layup (assisted by Ritter) with 15 seconds to go.
• Dickinson State closed the second quarter with another 3-pointer at the buzzer.  Kayden Steele drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Danielle Wallace) as DiSU trailed 34-20 by halftime.
• DaSU outscored DiSU 19-9 in the second quarter.  The Trojans shot 40 percent from the field in the first half (12-of-30 field goals) and held the Blue Hawks to 29 percent (9-of-31 field goals).
• Dakota State ignited the third quarter by making six consecutive baskets to fuel their 16-2 outburst.  Angela Slattery capped the scoring outburst with a 3-pointer (assisted by Dyer) as the Trojans produced their biggest lead of the game at 50-22 with 7:19 on the clock.
• Fick closed the third period with a 3-pointer (assisted by Morgan Huber) as the Trojans led 65-37.
• The Trojans outscored the Blue Hawks 31-17 in the third quarter.  DaSU shot 11-of-19 from the field (57.9 percent), including 5-of-9 from the 3-point arc.  DiSU was 7-of-14 from the field (50 percent) and 3-of-6 from the 3-point line.
• DaSU led between 20- and 28-points in the fourth quarter, securing the victory.
• The Trojans were 16-of-37 from the field in the second half (43.2 percent), including 7-of-18 from the 3-point line.  The Blue Hawks shot 44.8 percent from the field (44.8 percent) and 4-of-12 from the 3-point arc.
• Dakota State used a balanced scoring attack with 11 different players recording at least two points in the game.  Aslesen and Slattery each scored 13 points.  Aslesen grabbed nine rebounds and registered two blocked shots.  Slattery added five rebounds, two assists, and a blocked shot.
• Fick added 12 points off the bench for the Trojans.  Savannah Walsdorf and Mackely each had eight points.  Walsdorf stole the ball five times.  Miakken Vincent had six points and five rebounds off the bench.
• Tabor Teel tallied a season-high seven points off the bench for DaSU.  Ritter ha dfive points and two assists.  Dyer dished out four assists.  Menning had three steals and two assists. 
• Steele led the Blue Hawks with 14 points off the bench.  Oase added 12 points and eight rebounds.  Peterson scored nine points. 
• Johnson tallied eight points, five rebounds, and three assists for DiSU.  Heather LaBree grabbed five rebounds.
• Dakota State shot 41.8 percent overall from the field (28-of-67 field goals) compared to Dickinson State 36.7 percent (22-of-60 field goals).  The Trojans drained 10 3-pointers in 32 tries (31.3 percent), while the Blue Hawks hit 6-of-21 3-pointers (28.6 percent).
• DaSU converted 14-of-23 from the free-throw line.  DiSU was 3-of-6 free-throws.
• The Trojans had a slight edge in rebounds, outrebounding the Blue Hawks 42-41.  DaSU outscored DiSU 14-6 in second chance points.
• Dakota State outscored Dickinson State 29-2 in points off turnovers and 46-24 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director