March 7, 2023

POST-GAME INTERVIEWS

Photos by Morningside (Iowa) Sports Information Director

WICHITA, Kan. – No. 6 seed Dakota State (S.D.) snapped their drought in the all-time series meeting with No. 11 seed Morningside (Iowa), earning a 78-65 victory in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament First Round at Garvey Center (on the campus of Friends, Kan., hosted by the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) in the Liston Bracket.  The victory also snapped their 11-game losing skid with the Mustangs, with the last win coming on Nov. 7, 2007, at DSU Fieldhouse (DSU won 92-82).

Dakota State lifted their overall record to 26-6, currently the third most wins in school history behind a pair of 27-win seasons in 2020-21 and 2021-22.  Morningside, a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, ended their season at 17-13 overall record.

The Trojans avenged their earlier setback at Morningside 81-67 on Dec. 30 in Sioux City, Iowa.

It marked the third straight season that DSU won the first game of the national tournament (defeated Providence, Mont. in 2021 national tournament in Omaha, Neb., and defeated Hope International, Calif., in 2022 national tournament in Billings, Mont.).

DSU moves on to the second round of the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament Wednesday evening at Garvey Center.  The Trojans face No. 3 seed Eastern Oregon (30-2 overall record), who defeated Saint Mary (Kan.) of KCAC earlier this evening by the score of 80-57.  The Mountaineers, a member of the Cascade Collegiate Conference and ranked No. 12 in the final national poll, bring their 20-game winning streak Wednesday evening.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.

Wednesday's winner will move on to the final site of the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, on March 13-18.

Watch the live video of the game via through pay-per-view on KCAC Network on www.kcacnetwork.com.  You can listen to the game via through KJAM radio on https://www.amazingmadison.com/dsu-sports/.

(24) Dakota State (S.D.) 78, Morningside (Iowa) 65 – FINAL

• Elsie Aslesen kicked off the game with a basket for DSU 2-0 lead with nine minutes, sixteen seconds on the clock.
• Morningside then scored eight straight points to open an 8-2 lead, capped by Chloe Lofstrom's basket with 6:24 left in the first period.
• DSU answered back with an 8-2 run to knot the game, thanks to Sidney Fick's 3-point play with 4:33 on the clock in the first.
• Trailing 14-13, Dakota State went on a 7-0 scoring run to grab a 20-14 lead after a steal by Savannah Walsdorf to convert a basket with 2:50 left in the first period.
• DSU led 26-18 after the first period.
• The Trojans earned the first double digit lead of the game at 29-18 after Lilli Mackley drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Walsdorf) with 9:26 on the clock in the second quarter. 
• Morningside trimmed their deficit to 33-26 with 6:05 to go after Sophia Peppers' 3-pointer (assisted by Lily Vollertsen).
• Leading 37-32, DSU went on a 5-0 scoring run to regain their double digit lead at 42-32 after Fick's basket.
• Dakota State closed the first half with a 3-pointer from Fick as their lead to 45-34.
• The Trojans outscored the Mustangs 19-16 in the second quarter.
• DSU began the third quarter with a 7-0 scoring run to balloon their lead to 52-34 after Morgan Huber's 3-pointer (assisted by Courtney Menning).  The Mustangs were forced to burn a timeout with 7:29 on the clock.
• Dakota State stretched its scoring run to 10-0 after a 3-pointer from Walsdorf as their lead grew to 55-34 with 5:36 left in the third.
• Morningside ended their four-and-half minutes scoring drought in the third quarter with a basket by Chloe Lofstrom with 5:14 left (DSU led 55-36).
• Fick made a basket (assisted by Mackley) with 4:55 left in the third quarter, giving the Trojans their first 20-point lead at 57-36.
• Dakota State outscored Morningside 20-11 in the third quarter to take a commanding 65-45 lead.
• Mackley hit a pair of free-throws with 7:32 remaining as DSU produced the biggest lead of the game at 68-45.
• The Mustangs could get no closer than 11 points near the end of the game, securing the victory for the Trojans.
• Four Dakota State players scored in double-digits, led by Fick (tied season-high) and Mackley with 17 points each.  Walsdorf added 11 points.  Aslesen had 10 points.  Huber tallied eight points.  Menning and Angela Slattery each added seven points.
• Walsdorf grabbed seven rebounds for the Trojans.  Mackley added six rebounds.  Aslesen had five rebounds and two blocked shots. 
• Walsdorf and Menning each stole the ball four times for DSU.  Menning dished out six assists. 
• Peppers led the Mustangs with 18 points.  Vollertsen added 15 points off the bench.  Lofstrom scored 13 points.  Aspen Jansa had 12 points. 
• Peppers pulled down seven rebounds and stole the ball six times for Morningside.  Lofstrom added six rebounds.  Vollertsen had three blocked shots.  Olivia Larsen and Jansa each had three steals.
• Dakota State shot 48.3 percent from the field (28-of-58 field goals) and held Morningside to 38.5 percent (25-of-65 field goals).  The Trojans were 9-of-28 3-pointers, while the Mustangs were 7-of-25 3-pointers. 
• DSU was near perfect from the free-throw line, converting 13-of-14 free-throws.  MU was 8-of-10 free-throws.
• The Trojans outrebounded the Mustangs 38-32. 

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director