January 31, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Jan. 31, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (18-4 overall record, 6-0 North Star Athletic Association record, No. 9 in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) carries their season-high 10-game winning streak as they kick off their second half portion of the conference schedule.

The Trojans make their final weekend North Star Athletic Association back-to-back road trips, making their first stop Friday evening at Viterbo (Wis.) (8-9 overall record, 3-3 NSAA conference record).  The game is being held at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium (914 Viterbo Court) in La Crosse, Wis., with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.  

DSU then travels to Hanson Fieldhouse (206 John K Hanson Drive) in Forest City, Iowa, to take on Waldorf (Iowa) (5-14 overall record, 0-6 NSAA conference record).  The game is slated to tip off at 3 p.m.

This weekend will be the final ever North Star Athletic Association regular-season meeting for Dakota State, Viterbo and Waldorf.

The Trojans won the NAIA's Top 15 battle with No. 13 ranked Mayville State (N.D.) on Jan. 26, rolling to a 71-48 home victory at DSU Fieldhouse in the Ag Ball contest. 

Viterbo earned a pair of home victories in the North Star action, defeating Valley City State (N.D.) 84-80 in overtime on Jan. 26 and Dickinson State 9N.D.) 66-44 on Jan. 27.  Waldorf fell to the Blue Hawks 80-71 on Jan. 26 and to the Vikings 73-55 on Jan. 27.

Up Next:  Dakota State returns home Wednesday evening for the NSAA match-up with Bellevue (Neb.).  The Trojans visit No. 12 ranked Mayville State (N.D.) on Feb. 9 in Mayville, N.D.  Both games start at 5:30 p.m.

This Week's Quick Hits
+Dakota State (S.D.) ballooned their winning streak to a season-high ten games, tying for sixth most consecutive wins in the school record book with the 2019-20 and 1981-82 squads.  The 2021-22, 1980-81, and 1983-84 DSU women's basketball teams currently tie for third most consecutive winning streak with 11 games.
+ The Trojans defeated Viterbo (Wis.) in the first NSAA meeting of the season by the score of 82-54 at DSU Fieldhouse, raising their all-time record to 15-2.  DSU had won the last four meetings held at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium in La Crosse, Wis.
+ Dakota State rolled past Waldorf (Iowa) 83-51 in the first conference meeting on Jan. 20 at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans are 17-2 all-time record with the Warriors.  DSU had won last four road contests at Hanson Fieldhouse in Forest City, Iowa.
+ DSU had won seven straight meetings with the V-Hawks.  The Trojans also had won 10 straight meetings with WU.
+ The Trojans accumulated 55 victories in the last 58 North Star Athletic Association regular-season contests (excluding Dakota Clash contests and postseason contests) since the 2019-20 season (.948 winning percentage).
+ Dakota State had won the last nine North Star Athletic Association road contests, dating back to Jan. 13, 2023, after their 58-56 overtime victory at Mayville State (N.D.).
+ DSU plays six more remaining games on their regular-season schedule in the North Star action.  DSU plays three games on the road and three games at home, wrapping up on Feb. 16-17 versus Valley City State (N.D.) and Dickinson State (N.D.).

Noteworthy...
WALSDORF ALL-TIME RECORDS WATCH:  Savannah Walsdorf currently holds a pair of all-time Dakota State school records in steals with 370 steals and field goals made with 708 field goals made, prior to this weekend's games.  She have 1,892 points during her career, which is second all-time in school record book.  Walsdorf also ranks second all-time in rebounds with 927 rebounds.  She is fifth all-time in 3-point field goals made with 177 3-pointers and fourth all-time in free-throws made with 299 free-throws. 

TROJANS IN THE NAIA AND NSAA RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, Dakota State ranks 21st overall in the nation (NAIA) in scoring offense with 80.0 points per game.  Tabor Teel is 17th in the NAIA in field goal percentage of 60.3 percent (79-of-131 field goals).  Her field goal percentage leads the North Star Athletic Association, as well as blocks per game (1.8) and total blocks (39 total blocks).  Savannah Walsdorf is second in the league with 52.3 percent field goals shooting and fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (40.2 percent).  

DSU CRACKS IN NAIA'S TOP 10:  Dakota State returns back to the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll for the first time since Oct. 25, 2023, when they were ranked No. 8 in the preseason national poll.  The Trojans rose two spots from No. 11 to No. 9 in the fifth edition of the national poll, carrying their season-high 10-game winning streak.  DSU is 3-2 record against NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked teams, including the most recent 71-48 home victory over current No. 12 Mayville State (N.D.) on Jan. 26.  Despite losing the first two games against NAIA's current No. 1 Dordt (Iowa) and No. 2 Marian (Ind.), the Trojans had won three straight games against NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked teams.

DAKOTA STATE'S JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL UPDATES:  The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball junior varsity team collected their first win of the season after cruising past Northwestern (Iowa) 76-56 on Jan. 29 in their home finale at DSU Fieldhouse, thanks to their balanced scoring attack with 11 different players scoring in the game.  The Trojans close out their regular-season schedule on Monday as they travel to Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).

(11) DSU wins NAIA's Top 25 battle with (13) Comets
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 26, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) outscored Mayville State (N.D.) 40-18 inside the paint, rolling to a 71-48 North Star Athletic Association women's basketball victory at DSU Fieldhouse.  It was also the Ag Ball contest.  It was the largest victory for DSU in the series meeting with the Comets since Nov. 20, 2020. 

Despite falling behind 7-0, the Trojans outscored MSU 21-8 to earn a 25-16 lead after the first quarter.  DSU ballooned their lead to 35-25 by halftime and never looked back after leading 55-39 by the end of the third quarter.  DSU outscored MSU 16-9 in the final period.

Tabor Teel led the Trojans with 22 points on her 9-of-11 field goals.  She had five rebounds, two steals, and a block.  Savannah Walsdorf added 16 points and seven rebounds.  Angela Slattery had 10 points and eight rebounds.  Bria Wasmund scored eight points, stole the ball twice, and dished two assists.  No Mayville State players scored in double digits in the game.
 
DSU shot 50 percent from the field (28-of-56 field goals) compared to MS 39.6 percent (19-of-48 FGs).

A look at NSAA conference first half recap
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 31, 2024)—The North Star Athletic Association wrapped up their first half portion of the basketball schedule last weekend.  Dakota State (S.D.) maintained their lead in the league standings after going 6-0 record, including the recent victory over then No. 13-ranked Mayville State (N.D.) 71-48 on Jan. 26 at DSU Fieldhouse.

Mayville State is second in the conference standings with a 5-1 record.  Bellevue (Neb.), Viterbo (Wis.), and Valley City State (N.D.) are tied for third in the standings with 3-3 record each.  Dickinson State (N.D.) is 1-5 record in the sixth spot, picking up their first league win over wineless Waldorf (Iowa) last weekend.   The Warriors are 0-6 NSAA conference and seventh in the standings.

DSU leads the NSAA conference with 83.7 points per game in league contests.  The Trojans also lead the conference in field goal percentage with 49 percent (190-of-388 field goals).  DSU's defense allowed 52.7 points per game in the first half of the conference schedule, which leads the league in scoring defense. 

The second half of the North Star Athletic Association schedule will be a flip-flop of away-and-home games from the first half of the schedule. 

Dakota State (S.D.) dominance in the North Star
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 31, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) continued their dominance in the North Star Athletic Association since the 2019-20 season, where they had won 55 times in the last 58 league contests (.948 winning percentage).

During the last 58 North Star  regular-season contests (excluding non-conference in the Dakota Clash and NSAA postseason tournaments), the Trojans were 28-1 home record (.966 winning record) at DSU Fieldhouse and 27-2 record (.931 winning record) away on the road.

Dakota State had won three consecutive North Star Athletic Association regular-season titles since 2021.  The last time the Trojans had won three straight conference regular-season titles was in 2006 through 2008 in the former Dakota Athletic Conference.

The Dakota State women's basketball program had won at least four consecutive league titles in the 1980's, where they had won eight straight conference regular-season title in the old South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference (SDIC).  

The North Star had announced that 2024-25 season will be the final year of conference.

2023-24 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 354 points (16.1 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Tabor Teel - 60.3 percent (79-of-131 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Savannah Walsdorf - 40.2 percent (45-of-112 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Caitlin Dyer - 80.0 percent (28-of-35 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 147 rebounds - (7.0 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 52 assists (2.4 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 65 steals (3.0 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 40 blocks (1.8 blocks per game)

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