February 14, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Feb. 14, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (21-5 overall record, 9-1 North Star Athletic Association record, No. 10 in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) wraps up their regular season action this weekend with a pair of home contests at DSU Fieldhouse (1302 N. Washington Ave.).  The Trojans are seeking to secure their fourth consecutive North Star conference regular-season title this weekend.

The Trojans welcome Valley City State (N.D.) (12-12 overall record, 6-4 NSAA conference record) on Friday evening with a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.  DSU hosts Dickinson State (N.D.) (7-17 overall record, 2-8 NSAA record) on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.  The DSU Alumni basketball event is scheduled to be hosted on Saturday, as well as DSU women's basketball honoring their seniors after the conclusion of the women's basketball game.   Dakota State will be honoring three seniors on the team—Morgan Huber, Savannah Walsdorf, and Miakken Vincent.

The Trojans extended their winning streak to a season-high 13 games after their 81-32 home rout over Bellevue (Neb.) on Feb. 7.  Dakota State's winning streak came to an end with a 72-49 road setback at No. 12 ranked Mayville State (N.D.) in the battle of NAIA's Top 25 and top NSAA teams.

Valley City State went 2-0 record in their home regular-season finale last weekend, defeating Viterbo (Wis.) 86-70 on Feb. 9 and Waldorf (Iowa) 87-56 on Feb. 10.  Dickinson State split their two home games, defeating the Warriors 60-44 on Feb. 9 and falling to the V-Hawks 78-67 on Feb. 10.

Up Next:  Dakota State awaits to hear the North Star Athletic Association women's basketball postseason tournament pairings, with the opening round on Wednesday and the semifinals round on Sunday, Feb. 25.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State's (S.D.) 13-game winning streak is the third longest streak in the women's basketball school record, despite being halted by No. 12 ranked Mayville State (N.D.) on Feb. 9.
+ The Trojans' 21 victories is currently tied for eighth most wins in women's basketball program history prior to this weekend's games. 
+ DSU had won 12 straight meetings in the all-time series with Valley City State (N.D.), including the most recent victory at VCSU 104-67 on Jan. 12.  The Trojans also defeated the Vikings 92-58 in the annual Dakota Clash on Nov. 17.
+ The Trojans had won five straight home meetings with VCSU, with the most recent win on Jan. 6, 2023.  DSU held the Vikings to one point through the first ten minutes and seven points through the first twenty minutes of the game.
+ Dakota State had won the previous 16 meetings in the series with Dickinson State (N.D.), including the first NSAA conference meeting on Jan. 13 by the score of 96-55 in Dickinson, N.D.
+ The Trojans had won seven straight home meetings with the Blue Hawks since Jan. 5, 2018. 
+ Dakota State recorded double digit victories in the past five seasons, clinching their 10th home victory after their 81-32 rout over Bellevue (Neb.) on Feb. 7.  The Trojans posted an impressive home record at 57-9 at DSU Fieldhouse since the 2019-20 season, a winning percentage of .864.
 
Noteworthy...
DSU SENIORS:  Dakota State (S.D.) will be honoring their three seniors after the conclusion of the women's game on Saturday versus Dickinson State (N.D.).  They are Morgan Huber, Savannah Walsdorf, and Miakken Vincent.  They are integral members of the Trojan women's basketball team that had produced numerous records during their time here at DSU, including winning the conference regular-season titles, postseason titles, winning streaks, and holding an impressive 57-9 home record at DSU Fieldhouse in the past five seasons (46-4 home record in the past four seasons).

DAKOTA STATE IN THE NSAA RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, Dakota State (S.D.) leads the North Star Athletic Association with 79.4 points per game during the conference season.  The Trojans also leads the league in field goals made (306 field goals), field goal percentage (47.1 percent), and total 3-point field goals made (97).   DSU held the NSAA opponents to 53.0 points per game, which leads the North Star in scoring defense.  The Trojans leads the conference in field goal percentage defense (36 percent), as well as total 3-point field goals made allowed with 45 3-pointers.

NSAA INDIVIDUAL LEADERS:  Tabor Teel leads the North Star conference in field goal percentage during the conference season, hitting 62 percent from the field (49-for-79 field goals).  Savannah Walsdorf is also third in the league with 55.5 percent from the field (76-for-137 field goals) in ten conference games.   Teel leads the conference with 24 blocked shots and fifth in rebounds per game (6.6 rebounds per game).  Angela Slattery is sixth in the NSAA with 6.1 rebounds per game and Walsdorf eighth with 5.6 rebounds per game.  Walsdorf ranks second in the conference with 2.9 steals per game.  Bria Wasmund ranks third in the league with 2.9 assists per game in the conference. 

TROJANS RANK NO. 10 IN LATEST NATIONAL POLL:  Dakota State (S.D.) remained inside the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 10 rankings, sitting at No. 10 in the current national poll that was announced Wednesday morning.  The Trojans collected 421 points to the national poll, 29 more points from the previous national poll.  DSU went 3-1 record from the previous national poll to the current national poll. 

(9) DSU routs Bruins at DSU Fieldhouse
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 7, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) produced the largest margin of victory in the series meeting with Bellevue (Neb.), rolling to an 81-32 North Star Athletic Association victory at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans stretched their season-high winning streak to 13 games.

After trailing 2-0 to start the game, the Trojans went on an 8-0 scoring run and never trailed for the rest of the game.  DSU closed the first quarter with a 15-1 run for a 23-5 lead after the first quarter.  The Trojans led 33-11 by halftime and 57-22 after three quarters.  DSU outscored BU 48-21 in the second half.

Eleven different Trojan players scored in the game, led by Tabor Teel with a game-high 17 points off the bench on her 7-of-10 field goals.  She grabbed seven rebounds and recorded five blocks.  Savannah Walsdorf added 11 points and eight rebounds.  She stole the ball five times.  Angela Slattery, Miakken Vincent, and Bria Wasmund each had nine points.  Wasmund had four steals. 
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DSU shot 44.6 percent from the field (33-of-74 field goals) and held BU to 27.7 percent (13-of-47 field goals).

(12) Comets hand (9) Trojans first NSAA setback
Mayville, N.D. (Feb. 9, 2024)—No. 9 ranked Dakota State (S.D.) suffered their first North Star Athletic Association setback of the season at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse, falling to No. 12 ranked Mayville State (N.D.) in the battle of the top two teams in the league.  The Comets used a second-quarter surge to pull away past the Trojans by the score of 72-49.

Both teams traded leads in the opening quarter where the game was knotted at 16-16 after the first quarter.  DSU led 20-19 in the early second quarter, but was outscored by MSU 25-10 as the Comets grabbed a 41-26 halftime lead.  Mayville State secured the victory after maintaining their double digit lead for the rest of the game. 

Savannah Walsdorf paced the Trojans with 15 points on her 6-for-7 field goals.  She had four rebounds and two blocks.  Tabor Teel added 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench.  Caitlin Dyer and Angela Slattery each had five points.  Miakken Vincent dished out four assists.   

Dakota State shot 45.5 percent overall from the field (20-of-44 field goals) compared to Mayville State 39.1 percent (25-of-64 field goals).  MSU outrebounded DSU 36-28. 

Walsdorf becomes DSU's all-time scorer
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 14, 2024)—Savannah Walsdorf became Dakota State's (S.D.) all-time scorer on Feb. 9 at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse, despite a 72-49 setback to Mayville State (N.D.). 

She completed the three-point play near the end of the third quarter, surpassing the previous record holder by Jessi Giles with 1,955 points from 2018-22.

Prior to the games this weekend, Walsdorf scored 1,960 points during her career since the 2019-20 season.  She also tied for the all-time career rebounds with 954 rebounds, where she is expected to surpass the previous record holder by Julie Fiegen from 1982-86.
 
Walsdorf owns the all-time record in steals with 386 steals, breaking the all-time record during the season opener versus Dordt (Iowa) at the Sanford Pentagon on Nov. 1 (Jessica VanLoy with 305 steals from 2004-08).  She also owns the all-time record of 738 field goals made, surpassing the previous record by Giles with 697 field goals made.

Walsdorf also ranks fourth on the DSU all-time list with 304 free-throws made and fifth in 3-point field goals made with 182 3-pointers.

2023-24 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 422 points (16.2 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Tabor Teel - 59.8 percent (101-of-169 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Savannah Walsdorf - 39.7 percent (50-of-126 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Caitlin Dyer - 80.0 percent (28-of-35 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 175 rebounds - (6.7 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 56 assists (2.2 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 81 steals (3.1 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 48 blocks (1.8 blocks per game)