February 28, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Feb. 28, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (25-5 overall record, ranked No. 9 in the final edition of the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) prepares to battle with Mayville State (N.D.) (23-3 overall record, No. 12 in the final NAIA's Top 25 national poll) in the North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball postseason tournament's championship game.  Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse (330 3rd Street NE) in Mayville, N.D. 

The Trojans and the Comets finished with the North Star conference record of 11-1, with each team winning on their home court.  Both teams shared the NSAA conference regular-season title, resulting in a coin toss to break the tie.  MSU ended up winning the coin toss to secure the No. 1 seed, while DSU is the No. 2 seed. 

Dakota State rolled past sixth-seeded Dickinson State (N.D.) 72-50 in the semifinal round at DSU Fieldhouse on Feb. 25.  The Trojans nailed down 16 3-pointers, 11 3-pointers in the first half, to secure their 18th straight victory in the series meeting with the Blue Hawks. 

Mayville State jumped to a 12-2 lead over fourth-seeded Viterbo (Wis.) in the other NSAA semifinal contest at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse on Feb. 25.  The Comets cruised past the V-Hawks 94-62, where they hit 16 3-pointers in the game. 

Dakota State and Mayville State are meeting in the North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Postseason Tournament's championship game for the second straight year.  The winner of the postseason tournament will receive the league's automatic bid to the national tournament.

Up Next:  Dakota State awaits to hear from the NAIA national office for the match-ups to the 2024 NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament.  The selection show is scheduled for Thursday, March 7 at 7 p.m.

This Week's Preview
+ Dakota State (S.D.) is playing in their fourth consecutive North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Postseason Tournament's championship game on Sunday afternoon. 
+ The Trojans captured the NSAA tournament titles in 2021 and 2022 against Bellevue (Neb.).  DSU fell to Mayville State (N.D.) in last year's NSAA championship game at the Civic Center in Watertown, S.D. 
+ DSU is 2-1 record this season versus MSU.  The Trojans won the first meeting at a neutral site in Valley City, N.D. in the Daktoa Clash by the score of 63-59 in a non-conference game.  Dakota State won the second meeting of the season at DSU Fieldhouse by the score of 71-48 in the North Star meeting.  Mayville State defeated the Trojans in the most recent meeting on Feb. 9 by the score of 72-49 in the second NSAA meeting.
+ Dakota State is 9-2 reocrd on the road this season, while Mayville State is undefeated 11-0 record at home.
+ The Comets' last home setback was to the Trojans in last year's NSAA conference contest at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.  DSU won by the score of 58-56 in an overtime thriller on Jan. 13, 2023.  MSU is currently on a 17-game home court winning streak since their last home court loss.
+ Dakota State and Mayville State will meet for the fourth time in the last five NSAA postseasons.   The Comets held on to defeat the Trojans in 2020 semifinals in Watertown, while DSU defeated MSU in 2021 semifinals. 

Noteworthy...
DSU RISES TO NO. 9 IN FINAL NATIONAL POLL:  Dakota State (S.D.) rose one spot from No. 10 to No. 9 in the final edition of the 2023-24 NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll Wednesday.  It is the second time, as well as the second highest ranking, this season that the Trojans were ranked No. 9.  DSU was ranked No. 8 in the preseason national poll last October.  Dakota State made their ninth straight appearance in the NAIA national poll, dating back to 2022-23 season (DSU was ranked No. 24 in the final national poll last season).

SIX TROJANS RECEIVE NSAA HONORS:  The North Star announced their women's basketball All-Conference and postseason awards Monday.  Savannah Walsdorf and Tabor Teel were named to the All-Conference First Team and All-Defense Team.  Teel was voted as the NSAA Defensive Player-of-the-Year.  Angela Slattery and Caitlin Dyer were listed on the All-Conference Honorable Mention.  Miakken Vincent was this year's recipient to the NSAA Women's Basketball Champions of Character award.  David Moe was voted as the league's Coach-of-the-Year for the fifth straight year.

DAKOTA STATE IN THE NORTH STAR RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, Dakota State leads the North Star Athletic Association in scoring offense with 80.7 points per game.  The Trojans also lead the conference in field goals made (890 field goals made), total 3-point field goals made (333 3-pointers), steals per game (13.6 steals per game), and blocks per game (4.7 blocks per game).  DSU is second in the conference in scoring defense with 60.7 points per game and third in field goal percentage defense (opponents with 38.6 percent from the field). 

TROJAN LEADERS IN THE NSAA CONFERENCE:  Tabor Teel leads the North Star in overall field goal percentage of 57.5 percent.  She also leads the NSAA conference with 2.0 blocks per game and fourth with 6.7 rebounds per game.  Savannah Walsdorf is second in the league with 16.8 points per game.  She ranks third in the field goal percentage with 53.6 percent.  Walsdorf shot 42.7 percent from the 3-point line, which is second best in the North Star conference.  Miakken Vincent ranks fourth in 3-point field goal percentage of 41.8 percent.

(10) Trojans advance to fourth straight NSAA title game
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 25, 2024)—Second-seeded Dakota State (S.D.) hit 11 3-pointers in the first twenty minutes of the game, cruising past sixth-seeded Dickinson State (N.D.) 72-50 in the North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Postseason Tournament's semifinal game. 

The Trojans used an 11-0 first quarter scoring run to open a 26-15 lead and ballooned their lead to 48-32 by halftime.  Dakota State maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game, outscoring the Blue Hawks 24-18 in the final twenty minutes of the game.

Savannah Walsdorf paced the Trojans with 14 points, six rebounds, and five assists.  She was 5-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-8 from the 3-point line.  Angela Slattery added 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals.  Caitlin Dyer had 12 points.  Lilli Mackley and Morgan Huber each added seven points.  Bria Wasmund and Miakken Vincent each had six points.
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The Trojans shot 34.8 percent from the field (24-of-69 FGs) compared to DiSU 41.9 percent (18-of-43 FGs).

NSAA Women's Basketball Postseason semifinals recap
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 25, 2024)—The top two seeds cruised to the North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Postseason Tournament's championship game after their semifinal victories on their home court.  The championship game is set for Sunday, March 3.

The top-seeded Mayville State (N.D.) kicked off the game with a 12-2 outburst and never trailed in the forty minutes basketball game, rolling to a 94-62 victory over No. 4 seed Viterbo (Wis.).  The Comets hit 47.5 percent from the field, including 16-of-35 from the 3-point line.

No. 2 seed Dakota State (S.D.) used a late first quarter scoring run to advance to the championship game.  Knotted at 15-15, the Trojans went on an 11-0 scoring run to close the first quarter to earn a 72-50 victory over No. 6 seed Dickinson State (N.D.).  Dakota State drained 16 3-pointers in the game compared to the Blue Hawks 3-of-9 from the 3-point arc.

Both Dakota State and Mayville State are most likely will compete in the 2024 NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament First and Second Rounds, scheduled for March 15-16.

A look back to Dakota State-Mayville State series
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 28, 2024)—Sunday's contest will mark the fourth time that both Dakota State (S.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) face each other in the same season.  It is the second straight year that both teams had faced each other four times during the season (third time in the last four years since 2020-21). 

DSU and MSU will be meeting in the NSAA championship game for the second consecutive year.  The Comets defeated the Trojans 66-52 in last year's conference championship game at Civic Center in Watertown, S.D.   

Dakota State is 2-1 record this season versus Mayville State, starting with a 63-59 neutral site victory in the Dakota Clash held in Valley City, N.D., on Nov. 18.  The Trojans defeated th Comets 71-48 at DSU Fieldhouse on Jan. 26, while MSU earned a 72-49 victory at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse in Mayville, N.D., on Feb. 9. 
 
The Trojans had won 12 times in the last 14 meetings with the Comets.   DSU is seeking for the first win at Mayville State since Jan. 13, 2023, where DSU won in an overtime thriller by the score of 58-56.

Dakota State was 4-0 record versus Mayville State in the annual Dakota Clash since Nov. 20, 2020, where it was started at DSU Fieldhouse.  The annual Dakota Clash Classic had ended after this season.

2023-24 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 503 points (16.8 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Tabor Teel - 57.5 percent (111-of-193 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Savannah Walsdorf - 42.7 percent (64-of-150 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Caitlin Dyer - 78.6 percent (33-of-42 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 202 rebounds - (6.7 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 67 assists (2.2 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 94 steals (3.1 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 60 blocks (2.0 blocks per game)