November 26, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Nov. 26, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (3-3 overall record, ranked No. 7 in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) returns to action this week for the first time since Nov. 16.  The Trojans head on the road for a pair of games against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

Dakota State makes their first stop this week Tuesday evening as they visit Northwestern (Iowa) (4-2 overall record, No. 21 ranked in the NAIA national poll).  The game is set for a 6 p.m. tip-off at Bultman Center (105 Industrial Bypass Rd SW) on the campus of Northwestern in Orange City, Iowa.

The Trojans head to Morningside (Iowa) (3-3 overall record, receiving votes in the NAIA national poll) on Saturday afternoon.  The game is scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m. at RVSC-Allee Gym (3415 Peters Ave.) in Sioux City, Iowa, on the campus of Morningside. 

Dakota State fell short in the NAIA's Top 10 battle in the Sanford Sports Complex on Nov. 13.  The NAIA's national defending champion and No. 1 ranked Dordt (Iowa) held off the Trojans by the score of 79-76 in Sioux Falls, S.D.  DSU returned home on Nov. 16, earning their first home win of the season after hitting the century point in 101-63 victory over NCAA Division III Minnesota-Morris.

Northwestern split a pair of GPAC conference games, falling to No. 11 ranked Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Nov. 20 by the score of 67-55.  The Red Raiders defeated Midland (Neb.) 74-63 on Nov. 23.  Morningside lost to No. 17 Briar Cliff (Iowa) 84-75 on Nov. 20 and earned a 74-49 victory over Doane (Neb.) on Nov. 23 in the GPAC play.
 
Up Next:  Dakota State kicks off their three-game home stand on Monday, Dec. 9 versus North Central (Minn.) and opens their North Star conference action on Dec. 14-15 versus Mayville State and Valley City State.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) is facing their fifth NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked team during the month of November, their fourNAIA's ranked teams from the Great Plains Athletic Conference. 
+ The Trojans are 1-0 record on the road this season, with a 74-62 victory at No. 9 ranked Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Nov. 6.  Northwestern (Iowa) fell at No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan 67-55 on Nov. 20.
+ The Red Raiders won the previous meeting with the Trojans on Dec. 15, 2023, at DSU Fieldhouse.  Northwestern won by the score of 89-77 highly scoring affair.
+ DSU had won the last two meetings held in Orange City, Iowa.  The Trojans defeated Northwestern 80-64 on Dec. 20, 2022, and 77-63 on Nov. 11, 2020.
+ Dakota State had won the last two meetings with Morningside (Iowa), including a come-from-behind 69-60 victory at DSU Fieldhouse on Dec. 18, 2023.  The Trojans defeated the Mustangs 78-65 in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament Opeing Round in Wichita, Kan., on March 7, 2023.
+ This week will be the final week that the Trojans will face opponents from the Great Plains Athletic Conference.  The Trojans are 1-2 record against GPAC foes, with all three opponents being ranked inside the NAIA's Top 10 national poll.
+ Dakota State had recorded a win on their home court, on the road, and on a neutral site this season.

Noteworthy...
DSU'S NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AGAINST NAIA'S TOP 25 TEAMS:  Dakota State (S.D.) had already faced four NAIA's Top 10 ranked teams during the month of November.  The Trojans fell short in the season opener to No. 10 ranked Southern Oregon 70-68 and earned their first win over NAIA's Top 10 team on Nov. 6 with a 74-62 road victory at No. 9 ranked Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).  DSU fell short at home versus No. 5 Concordia (Neb.) 64-54 on Nov. 9 and No. 1 ranked and NAIA's national defending champion Dordt (Iowa) 79-76 at Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Nov. 13.  

DAKOTA STATE PREPARES FOR NORTH STAR CONFERENCE SEASON:  Dakota State is preparing to open up their 15-game North Star Athletic Association schedule during the middle of December.  The Trojans host Mayville State (N.D.) on Dec. 14, followed by a home contest versus Valley City State (N.D.) on Dec. 15.  Each North Star conference member play each other three times during the season, where DSU will host MSU and VCSU twice this season (second home meeting on Feb. 14 (Ag Ball) and Feb. 15.

TROJANS IN THE NAIA COACHES' TOP 10:  The first edition of the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll was released on Nov. 13.  The Trojans fell one spot from the NAIA Preseason Coaches' Top 25 national poll at No. 6 to No. 7 in the first edition of the national poll.  Dakota State collected 412 points in the national poll.  Dordt (Iowa) remains at No. 1 ranked after collecting 18 first-place votes and 539 points.  Indiana Wesleyan is at No. 2, followed by Campbellsville (Ky.) at No. 3 and Southern Oregon moved from No. 10 to No. 4.  Concordia (Neb.) ranks No. 5, while Providence (Mont.) is at No. 6.  Cumberlands (Ky.) ranks No. 8, Carroll (Mont.) at No. 9 and Rio Grande (Ohio) at No. 10 to round out the NAIA's Top 10.

2024-25 DAKOTA STATE JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM RETURNS TO ACTION MONDAY:  The 2024-25 Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball junior varsity concluded their home stand with a 2-1 record after defeating Northwestern (Iowa) 89-68 on Nov. 14 and falling to Dordt (Iowa) 98-73 on Nov. 18.  The Trojans return to action on Dec. 2 at Minnesota West CC and close out the 2024 portion of the season at Mount Marty (S.D.) on Dec. 12.

(1) Dordt (Iowa) holds off (7) DSU in Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, S.D. (Nov. 13, 2024)—It was the tale of four quarters between two NAIA's Top 10 nationally ranked teams at Sanford Sports Complex at the Pentagon.  The Trojans outscored the Defenders in the first and third quarters, while DU outscored DSU in the second and fourth quarters.  Dordt held off Dakota State 79-76 in the NAIA's Top 10 thriller. 

DSU led 21-13 after the first quarter.  DU outscored DSU 24-11 for a 37-32 halftime lead.  The Trojans outscored the Defenders 28-18 in the third quarter for a 60-55 lead.  Dordt outscored Dakota State 24-16 in the final quarter for a three-point victory.

Bria Wasmund had 17 points and grabbed five rebounds.  Angela Slattery added 16 points and five rebounds.  Cierra Watkins had 15 points.  Tabor Teel scored 12 points and recorded six rebounds.  Lilli Mackley had seven points and stole the ball four times.

DSU shot 42.4 percent from the field compared to Dordt 48.3 percent.

(7) Trojans hit century mark in home win over Minnesota-Morris
Madison, S.D. (Nov. 16, 2024)—Holding a five-point lead after the first quarter at DSU Fieldhouse, No. 7 ranked Dakota State (S.D.) outscored NCAA Division III Minnesota-Morris 47-21 combined in the second and third quarters to roll to 101-63 victory.

The Cougars hit the first five shot of the game, opening with a 13-6 lead with 4:44 on the clock.  DSU then outscored UMM 14-2 in the final 4:12, taking a 20-15 lead after the first quarter.  The Trojans outscored the Cougars 25-8 in the second quarter to take a 45-23 halftime lead.  DSU never trailed for the rest of the game, outscoring Minnesota-Morris 32-13 in the third quarter for a 77-36 lead.

Five DSU players scored in double digits, led by Tabor Tell with a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds.  Cierra Watkins added 13 points.  Tia Murray scored 12 points off the bench.  Bria Wasmund and Angela Slattery scored 10 points and stole the ball three times.  Slattery dished out a career-high six times.  Wasmund added four assists. 

DSU outrebounded UMM 40-28 in the game (21-6 on the offensive boards, 21-6 on second chance points).

Trojans in the NAIA Conference Ranks
Madison, S.D. (Nov. 26, 2024)—According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, Tabor Teel leads the North Star Athletic Association with 10.0 rebounds per game (60 total rebounds) for Dakota State (S.D.).    Angela Slattery is also 13th in the league with 5.5 rebounds per game.

Tia Murray leads the North Star with 1.3 blocks per game for the Trojans.  Teel is tied for fifth in the conference with 0.7 blocks per game.

Dakota State allowed their opponents to 65.3 points per game, which is fourth best in the conference.  The Trojans are third in the conference with 10.5 offensive rebounds per game and leads the league with 27.8 defensive rebounds per game.  Dakota State leads the North Star Athletic Association with 38.3 rebounds per game this season.

Teel ranks 11th in the NSAA conference with 12.7 points per game, followed by Bria Wasmund 12th with 11.5 points per game, and Angela Slattery 13th with 10.5 points per game for the Trojans.

Teel and Wasmund are tied for sixth best assists per game with 2.8 assists in the NSAA conference for Dakota State.

The Trojans produced a season-high 27 assists in their 101-63 home victory over NCAA Division III Minnesota-Morris on Nov. 16.

2024-25 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Tabor Teel - 76 points (12.7 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Cierra Watkins - 63.6 percent (21-of-33 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Kenzi Simmons - 37.5 percent (15-of-40 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Angela Slattery - 88.9 percent (8-of-9 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 60 rebounds (10.0 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Tabor Teel, Bria Wasmund - 17 assists (2.8 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Cierra Watkins - 12 steals (2.0 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tia Murray - 8 blocks (1.3 blocks per game)