November 5, 2023

SEWARD, Neb. – No. 8 ranked Dakota State (S.D.) faced the NAIA's Top 5 ranked teams for the second straight game, taking on No. 5 ranked Marian (Ind.) of the Crossroads League Friday afternoon in the 24^th annual Cattle Classic at Friedrich Arena (hosted by Concordia, Neb.).  The Knights held off the Trojans in a tight contest with the score of 78-69.

Dakota State fell to 0-2 overall record, while Marian remained undefeated this season with a 2-0 record.

The Trojans wrap up their first week of regular season play Saturday morning, playing Sterling (Kan.) of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference on the second day of the tournament.  Tip-off is set for 10 a.m.

(5) Marian (Ind.) 78, (8) Dakota State (S.D.) 69 – FINAL

The Knights used three different scorers – Tamia Perryman, Ella Collier, and Kinnidy Garrard – to open a 6-0 lead with six minutes, forty-three seconds on the clock in the first quarter.

Dakota State ended their four-plus minutes scoring drought with a 3-poitner from Olivia Ritter (assisted by Bria Wasmund), trailing 6-3 with 5:55 to go in the first.

Lilli Mackley made a layup with 3:08 left to record the first tie of the game at 9-9 for DSU.

Josie Trabel capped a quick MU's 5-0 scoring run with a 3-pointer to earn a 14-9 with less than two minutes to go in the first quarter.

Marian held a 16-12 lead after the first ten minutes of the game, highlighted by 7-of-14 from the field (50 percent).  Dakota State was held to 4-of-18 from the field (22.2 percent).

MU led as many as nine points in the second quarter (21-12 with 9:04 on the clock and 23-14 with 7:36 left). 

Trailing 30-23, Morgan Huber scored the final four points of the second quarter.  She drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Tabor Teel) as the Trojans trimmed the Knights' lead to 30-27 by halftime.

DSU was 5-of-12 from the field in the second period (41.7 percent) and held MU to 35.3 percent (6-of-17 field goals).  The Trojans outscored the Knights 15-14 in the second quarter.

Marian maintained their lead in the third quarter between three- and seven-points before ballooning to the largest lead of the game.  Ella Collier hit a layup with 1:58 on the clock for MU's largest lead of the game at 51-41.

Caitlin Dyer nailed down both free-throws by the end of the third quarter as DSU cut MU's lead to 54-48.

The Knights outscored the Trojans 24-21 in the third quarter, thanks to their 10-of-14 from the field (71.4 percent).  DSU was 7-of-15 from the field (46.7 percent) and 6-of-8 from the free-throw line.

Wasmund drained a 3-pointer as Dakota State trailed 62-59 with 5:26 remaining in the game.  The Trojans could not get closer than three points for the rest of the game as the Knights secured the victory.  A pair of free-throws by Angela Slattery put DSU down by three points at 69-66 with 1:41 left.

Marian closed the game with a 9-2 run in the final one minute, thanks to 6-of-6 from the free-throw line by Collier.

The Knights outscored the Trojans 24-21 in the final ten minutes of the game.

Slattery led Dakota State with 17 points and stole the ball a career high seven times.  Savannah Walsdorf and Dyer each added 11 points.  Walsdorf and Teel each pulled down six rebounds.  Slattery and Mackley each had five rebounds.

Teel tallied eight points off the bench for Dakota State.  Cierra Watkins added six points.

Garrard paced the Knights with a double-double of 26 points and 13 rebounds.  She was 11-of-14 from the field and registered four blocks.  Collier added 17 points and dished out five assists.  Abbey McNally had nine points, six assists, and five rebounds.

Allison Bosse and Trabel each had seven points for Marian.

MU shot 55.6 percent from the field (30-of-54 field goals) compared to DSU 36.7 percent (22-of-60 field goals).  The Trojans converted 19-of-24 free-throws (79.2 percent), while the Knights were 15-of-22 free-throws (68.2 percent).

Marian outrebounded Dakota State 38-30.  Both teams scored 13 points off turnovers.