November 27, 2023

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Nov. 27, 2023)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (6-2 overall record, No. 16 in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 national poll) begins the month of December with a home tournament Friday and Saturday at DSU Fieldhouse (1302 N. Washington Ave).  The Trojans host three teams in the Dakota State Classic, featuring two teams from the North Star Athletic Association taking on two teams from the Continental Athletic Conference.

The tournament kicks off Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. between Dickinson State (N.D.) (2-6 overall record) and Haskell (Kan.) (2-6 overall record).  The second game features College of the Ozarks (6-2 overall record, receiving votes in the national poll) and Dakota State at 6 p.m.  The teams swap places on Saturday with the Bobcats playing the Blue Hawks at 2 p.m. and the Trojans taking on the Fighting Indians at 4 p.m.

Dakota State ballooned their winning streak to six games after going 2-0 record in the fourth annual Dakota Clash on Nov. 17-18.  The Trojans cruised past the host-team Valley City State (N.D.) 92-58 on Nov. 18 and held on to defeat No. 22 ranked Mayville State (N.D.) by the score of 63-59 on Nov. 18.  Dickinson State opened their season at 2-0 record and dropped their sixth straight game, falling short to No. 14 ranked Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 81-74 in their own home Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 24.

College of the Ozarks extended their winning streak to three game after defeating Missouri Baptist 96-88 on Nov. 21.  Haskell fell short on the road at Ottawa (Kan.) by the score of 88-84 on Nov. 20.

Up Next:  Dakota State (S.D.) is off until Wednesday, Dec. 13 as they visit rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).  The Trojans then play their final two home games on their 2023 portion of the schedule versus Northwestern (Iowa) on Dec. 15 and Morningside (Iowa) on Dec. 18.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ After dropping the first two games of the season against NAIA's Top 5 ranked teams, Dakota State (S.D.) had reeled off six straight victories including their first win over NAIA's Top 25 team on Nov. 18 (No. 22 Mayville State, N.D.).
+ The Trojans are 3-1 record in the preseason tournaments, going 1-1 record in the Cattle Classic in Seward, Neb., and going undefeated in the fourth annual Dakota Clash tournament.  This weekend's tournament is the third preseason tournament for Dakota State.
+ Haskell (Kan.) qualified for the NAIA national tournament last season, losing to top-ranked Central Methodist (Mo.) in the opening round.  Dakota State also qualified for the national tournament for the third consecutive season, advancing to their first ever national semifinals last season.  College of the Ozarks (Mo.) qualified for the NAIA national tournament in 2021.
+ Dakota State had won 18 consecutive home games since the 2021-22 season.  The Trojans are 3-0 record at home this season and were undefeated 12-0 record in last year's home schedule at DSU Fieldhouse.
+ The Trojans play a total of four home games at DSU Fieldhouse during the month of December, including the tournament this weekend.  DSU also hosts a pair of Great Plains Athletic Conference foes on Dec. 15 versus Northwestern (Iowa) and on Dec. 18 versus Morningside (Iowa).
+ Dakota State had scored at least 90 points three times this season, the last time at Valley City State (N.D.) on Nov. 17.

Noteworthy...
WALSDORF SURPASSES FIEGEN FOR SECOND ALL-TIME SCORING:  Savannah Walsdorf surpassed Julie Fiegen as the second all-time scorer in Dakota State (S.D.) women's basketball school history.  Walsdorf scored 19 points in DSU's 92-58 rout at Valley City State (N.D.) on Nov. 17, moving past Fiegen's 1,637 career points.  Walsdorf is currently second in the DSU women's basketball all-time scoring list with 1,651 points prior to this weekend's contests.  Two-time All-America Jessi Giles holds the all-time school record of 1,955 points from 2018-22.

TROJANS GO UNDEFEATED IN DAKOTA CLASH:  Dakota State continued their dominance in the annual Dakota Clash with North Star Athletic Association foes.  The Trojans remained undefeated all-time in the Dakota Clash with an 8-0 record, defeating both Valley City State (N.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) for four consecutive years after their victories on Nov. 17-18 in Valley City, N.D.  DSU was the original host of the tournament in 2020-21. 

LOOKING AHEAD TO DECEMBER:  Dakota State is slated to play a total of seven games during the month of December.  The Trojans kick off the month at home this weekend in their home tournament, hosting a pair of Continental Athletic Conference.  DSU then takes a week off to prepare for the finals and return to action against three consecutive games against the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  The Trojans visit rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Dec. 13 and return home Dec. 15 versus Northwestern (Iowa) and Dec. 18 versus Morningside (Iowa).  DSU wraps up the 2023 portion of the schedule against members of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference at St. Xavier (Ill.) on Dec. 29 and at Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) on Dec. 30.

DAKOTA STATE'S JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL UPDATES:  The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball junior varsity team looks for their first wins of the season, despite falling to Dordt (Iowa) on Nov. 6, Mount Marty (S.D.) on Nov. 7, and Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Nov. 15.  The Trojans continues their home stand on Nov. 30 versus Mount Marty to wrap up their 2023 portion of the schedule.  DSU then returns to action on Jan. 15 versus Dordt (Iowa).  Dakota State plays a total of five games during the 2024 portion of the schedule.

(16) Trojans rout Vikings in Dakota Clash tournament
Valley City, N.D. (Nov. 17, 2023)—No. 16 ranked Dakota State (S.D.)  used a 31-12 scoring outburst over host-team Valley City State (N.D.), fueling to a 92-58 road victory at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.  DSU earned its 11th straight victory in the series meeting.

The Trojans led 18-13 after the first quarter.  DSU sparked the second period with 9-of-17 field goals and 11-of-12 free-throws and forced VCSU to 12 turnovers, leading 49-25 by halftime.  The Trojans never trailed for the rest of the game to secure the victory.

Dakota State used a balanced scoring attack with four players scoring in double digits, led by Savannah Walsdorf with 19 points.  She had five rebounds and four steals.  Cierra Watkins tallied a season-high 19 points off the bench.  Morgan Huber added 15 points and three steals.  Tabor Teel had 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds.  Lilli Mackley pulled down seven rebounds and stole the ball four times.

Dakota State shot 45.6 percent overall from the field (31-of-68 field goals) compared to Valley City State 40.7 percent (24-of-59 field goals).  DSU was 22-of-31 from the free-throw line to VCSU 3-of-7 free-throws.

(16) DSU wins battle of NAIA's Top 25 teams
Valley City, N.D. (Nov. 18, 2023)—(16) Dakota State (S.D.) faced a five-point deficit in the early fourth quarter with (22) Mayville State (N.D.) on the second day of the Dakota Clash at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.  The Trojans used an 8-3 scoring run in the final 2:22 to secure the battle of NAIA's Top 25 teams by the score of 63-59.

DSU led 9-8 after the first quarter.  A total of nine lead changes and two ties were recorded in the second quarter as the Comets took a 25-24 halftime lead.  MSU opened the third quarter with a 10-4 run before the Trojans rallied back later in the third to overtake a 40-39 lead.  DSU outscored the Comets 23-16 in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

Savannah Walsdorf led the Trojans with 11 points and six rebounds.  Angela Slattery added eight points and pulled down nine rebounds.  Olivia Ritter and Cierra Watkins each scored nine points off the bench.  Morgan Huber and Miakken Vincent each had seven points.  Tabor Teel had two blocked shots.

Dakota State was 40.7 percent from the field (24-of-59 field goals) and hit 10-of-30 3-pointers.  Mayville State was limited to 34.5 percent (19-of-55 field goals) and 7-of-24 3-pointers. 

Trojans in the North Star conference ranks
Madison, S.D. (Nov. 27, 2023)—According to the NAIA-PrestoStats website as of Monday evening, Dakota State (S.D.) leads the North Star Athletic Association in overall scoring with 78.0 points per game.  The Trojans are second in scoring defense, allowing the opponents to 67.8 points per game. 

Dakota State is second in the North Star conference in free-throws made with 115 free-throws this season.  The Trojans are third in the NSAA in free-throw percentage of 70.1 percent (115-of-164 free-throws).  In addition, DSU is second in the conference in 3-point field goals made with 77 3-pointers.

Bria Wasmund is third in the North Star conference in 3-point field goal percentage with 50 percent.  She hit 8-of-16 3-pointers this season for the Trojans.  Overall, DSU is third in the North Star conference in field goal percentage with 41.2 percent (216-of-524 field goals).

Savannah Walsdorf is fourth in the league in scoring with 14.1 points per game for Dakota State.  Tabor Teel leads the North Star Athletic Association in field goal percentage with 56.8 percent (25-of-44 field goals).  She also leads the conference in total blocks with ten blocks.  As the team, DSU is tied for third in the league with 3.0 blocks per game with Viterbo (Wis.).

2023-24 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 113 points (14.1 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Cierra Watkins - 57.9 percent (22-of-38 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Bria Wasmund - 50.0 percent (8-of-16 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Cierra Watkins - 86.4 percent (19-of-22 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Angela Slattery - 58 rebounds - (7.3 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf, Morgan Huber - 18 assists (2.3 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 24 steals (3.0 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 10 blocks (1.3 blocks per game)

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