February 25, 2023

NSAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

WATERTOWN, S.D. – The nationally-ranked Dakota State (S.D.) used a balanced scoring attack with seven players scoring in the first quarter Saturday afternoon, using a fast start to fuel to their third consecutive North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Postseason tournament's championship with an 82-37 victory over Dickinson State (N.D.) at Civic Arena.  The Trojans held the Blue Hawks to a season-low in points, extending their winning streak in the all-time series meeting to 15 straight wins.

Dakota State, top-seeded in the postseason tournament and entered inside the NAIA's Top 25 national poll at No. 24 for the first time since last year, ballooned their season-high 15 straight victory (second longest winning streak in school history).  The Trojans raised their overall record to 25-5.

Dickinson State, fourth-seeded in the North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament, ended their season with an overall record of 13-17.

The Trojans face second-seeded Mayville State (N.D.), who defeated third-seeded Bellevue (Neb.) 76-59 in the second semifinals Saturday afternoon.  The NSAA women's championship game is set for 1 p.m. at Civic Arena, with the winner receiving the automatic bid to the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament's Opening Round on March 7-8 at 16 different sites selected by the national office on Feb. 25.

(24) Dakota State (S.D.) 82, Dickinson State (N.D.) 37 – FINAL

• Dakota State and Dickinson State traded leads in the opening minutes of the game, with the Blue Hawks holding its only lead of the game at 3-2 after a 3-pointer by Jenna Jacobson with eight minutes and forty-five seconds on the clock.
• The Trojans went on a 16-4 scoring outburst, capped by Sidney Fick's 3-pointer (assisted by Angela Slattery) for an 18-7 lead with 4:05 on the clock.
• DSU hit five 3-pointers during the scoring outburst from five different players – Elsie Aslesen, Courtney Menning, Morgan Huber, Slattery and Fick.
• Whitney Edwards hit a pair of free-throws as the Blue Hawks trimmed the Trojans' lead to 21-11 by the end of the first quarter.
• Dakota State shot 41.2 percent from the field in the first ten minutes of the game (7-of-17 field goals), including 5-of-12 from the 3-point line.  Dickinson State was held to 28.6 percent (4-of-14 field goals).
• Leading 29-18, the Trojans closed the second quarter with a monstrous 14-1 scoring run in the final 5:23.  Savannah Walsdorf made a basket (assisted by Aslesen) before the halftime buzzer sound, widening their lead to 43-19.
• DSU shot 47.1 percent in the first half (16-of-34 field goals) and 7-of-17 3-pointers in the first twenty minutes.  The Blue Hawks were held to 25.9 percent (7-of-27 field goals) and 1-of-10 from the 3-point arc.
• Dakota State held Dickinson State to no baskets for the first five-plus minutes of the third quarter, as their lead grew to 55-19 after Fick's layup (assisted by Miakken Vincent) with 5:22 to go.
• The Blue Hawks ended the Trojans' 12-0 scoring run with a basket from Kayden Steele with 4:41 on the clock (Trojans led 55-21).
• Dakota State led as many as 41 points at 66-25 in the third quarter after Walsdorf's 3-pointer (assisted by Menning), forcing Dickinson State to call a timeout with 1:29 left in the third period.
• The Trojans led 67-29 after three quarters, outscoring the Blue Hawks 24-10.  Dakota State shot 46.7 percent (7-of-15 field goals) while the Blue Hawks were 3-of-12 from the field (25 percent).
• Dakota State outscored Dickinson State 15-8 in the final quarter.
• Ten Trojan players scored in the game, with four players scoring in double-digits.  Menning led the team with 15 points (6-of-11 field goals and 3-of-6 3-pointers).  She also dished out two assists.
• Aselsen and Huber each tallied 14 points for Dakota State.  Aslesen collected six rebounds and a career-high five steals.  Fick scored 12 points and pulled down five rebounds off the bench.
• Walsdorf recorded five points, seven assists (career high), and six rebounds for Dakota State.  Dyer added seven points and four assists.  Slattery grabbed seven rebounds and netted five points. 
• Steele led the Blue Hawks with nine points.  McKenzie Johnson pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and recorded two blocks.  Danielle Wallace had six points, eight rebounds, and four blocked shots.
• Lindsay Peterson had seven points and four rebounds for Dickinson State. 
• Dakota State shot 41.8 percent overall from the field (28-of-67 field goals) compared to Dickinson State 23.1 percent (12-of-52 field goals).  The Trojans hit 12 3-pointers in 33 tries, while the Blue Hawks were 1-of-20 from the 3-point line.
• Dakota State converted 14-of-26 free-throws.  Dickinson State was 12-of-17 from the free-throw line.
• The Trojans outrebounded the Blue Hawks 46-40. 
• DSU outscored DiSU 30-5 in points off turnovers and 30-16 in bench points.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director