February 5, 2024

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Feb. 5, 2024)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (20-4 overall record, 8-0 North Star Athletic Association record, No. 9 in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) plays a pair of conference contests this week.

The Trojans host their traveling partner Bellevue (Neb.) (10-13 overall record, 3-5 NSAA conference) in a mid-week clash at DSU Fieldhouse.  Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.  DSU won the first meeting of the season on Jan. 6 by the score of 66-41 in Bellevue, Neb.  

Dakota State plays their final road contest of the season, visiting Mayville State (N.D.) (18-3 overall record,  7-1 NSAA conference record, No. 12 in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) in the battle of NAIA's Top 15 ranked teams.  The game is set for 5:30 p.m. at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse (330 3rd St.) in Mayville, N.D.  The Trojans won the first NSAA conference meeting at DSU Fieldhouse by the score of 71-48.

Dakota State played their final ever North Star conference meetings with Viterbo (Wis.) and Waldorf (Iowa) last weekend on the road.  The Trojans dominated the V-Hawks 77-57 on Feb. 2, followed by a 85-53 rout over the Warriors on Feb. 3 to extend their winning streak to a season-high 12 games.

Bellevue suffered a pair of road setbacks last weekend, falling to Waldorf 60-56 on Feb. 2 and to Viterbo 59-59 on Feb. 3.  Mayville State earned a pair of home victories, cruising past Valley City State (N.D.) 88-51 on Feb. 2 and Dickinson State (N.D.) 75-41 on Feb. 3.

Up Next:  Dakota State looks to inch closer to the North Star regular-season title as they prepare for their home regular-season finale versus Valley City State (N.D.) on Feb. 16 and Dickinson State (N.D.) on Feb. 17.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) stretched their winning streak to 12 games, the fourth straight season with double digit winning streak.  DSU held the school record of 23 straight wins during the 2020-21 season, while the 2022-23 squad held the second most consecutive wins with 15 straight wins.  This year's squad holds the third most consecutive wins.
+ DSU won the first NSAA conference meeting with Bellevue (Neb.) on Jan. 6 at Gordon Lozier Center, holding the Bruins to their season-low in points with 41 points (DSU won 66-41).  DSU had won eight times in the last nine meetings with BU.
+ Dakota State went 2-0 record with Mayville State (N.D.) this season, including a 63-59 victory in the Dakota Clash in Valley City, N.D., on Nov. 18, and 71-48 North Star conference vcitory at DSU Fieldhouse on Jan. 26.
+ The Trojans had won 12 times in the last 13 meetings with the Comets.  Dakota State had won five straight road meetings at Mayville State, with the last victory with a 58-56 overtime thriller on Jan. 13, 2023.
+ DSU accumulated 57 victories in the last 60 North Star Athletic Association regular-season contests (excluding Dakota Clash contests and postseason contests) since the 2019-20 season (.950 winning percentage).
+ Dakota State have three home North Star conference contests remaining on their regular-season schedule.  The Trojans had secured at last a home court throughout the semifinals round of the NSAA postseason tournament.
+ DSU is 9-1 record each at home and on the road.  Bellevue is 4-7 record on the road, while MSU is 8-0 record at home.
 
Noteworthy...
WALSDORF ALL-TIME RECORDS WATCH:  Savannah Walsdorf currently holds a pair of all-time Dakota State school records in steals with 380 steals, 75 more than the previous record holder by Jessica VanLoy with 305 steals from 2004-08.  She also leads the all-time record of 726 field goals made.  Walsdorf is 22 points away for surpassing the all-time scoring list held by Jessi Giles who scored 1,955 points during her career from 2018-22.  Walsdorf is also 13 rebounds away for all-time rebounding leader, held by Julie Fiegen with 954 career rebounds from 1982-86.  

DAKOTA STATE IN THE NSAA RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Monday, Dakota State leads the North Star conference with 80.0 points per game overall this season.  The Trojans also lead the conference in scoring defense during the league season by limiting the opponents to 53.3 points per game.  DSU is atop in the North Star in field goal percentage during the conference season with 47.6 percent (253-of-531 field goals), total 3-point field goals made (84), and 3-point field goal percentage (36.2 percent). 

TROJANS IN THE NSAA CONFERENE RANKS:  Savannah Walsdorf ranks second in the North Star Athletic Association in scoring offense during the league, averaging 19.0 points per game prior to this week's contests.  Tabor Teel leads the conference in field goal percentage (62.7 percent—37-of-59 field goals) and blocks (1.8 blocks per game).  Walsdorf is also third in the league with 55.6 percent from the field (65-of-117 field goals) in eight NSAA conference games.  Angela Slattery is tied for fourth best rebounding average in the league with 6.6 rebounds per game, while Teel is sixth with 6.5 rebounds per game.  Bria Wasmund leads the North Star conference with 3.4 assists per game in the league games.

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.).

(9) Trojans make it 11 straight wins, sweep season series with V-Hawks
La Crosse, Wis. (Feb. 2, 2024)—No. 9 Dakota State (S.D.) kept rolling in the North Star Athletic Association action, kicking off the second half portion of the schedule with a 77-57 road victory over Viterbo (Wis.) at R.W. Beggs Gymnasium.  The  Trojans fueled the victory by outscoring the V-Hawks 32-2 in points off turnovers.

Dakota State kicked off the game with seven straight points and never trailed for the rest of the game.  DSU led 22-15 after the first quarter and used another fast start in the second quarter for a 29-15 lead.  The Trojans led 44-31 by halftime and 66-44 after three quarters.

Savannah Walsdorf led the Trojans with a game-high 22 points on her 10-of-17 field goals.  She grabbed seven rebounds and stole the ball four times.  Tabor Tell added 14 points off the bench and collected five rebounds.  Morgan Huber had eight points.  Cierra Watkins added six points.  Caitlin Dyer dished out five assists.  Huber, Angela Slattery, Teel, Watkins, and Miakken Vincent each recorded a block..

DSU shot 43.1 percent from the field (31-of-72 field goals) compared to VU 40 percent (22-of-55 FGs).

(9) DSU hit 20th win for fourth straight season
Forest City, Iowa (Feb. 3, 2024)—No. 9 Dakota State (S.D.) continued their dominance in the North Star action, cruising to an 85-53 road victory over Waldorf (Iowa) at Hanson Fieldhouse.  The Trojans hit their 20th victory of the season for the fourth consecutive season.

Dakota State started the game with an 8-2 scoring run and never trailed in the game.  The Trojans led 24-14 by the end of the first quarter and 43-26 by halftime.  DSU erupted for 31 points on their blazing 59.1 percent from the field (13-of-22 field goals) in the third quarter for a 74-39 lead. 

Savannah Walsdorf scored a game-high 20 points on her 8-of-17 field goals for the Trojans.  She grabbed eight rebounds, stole the ball six times, and contributed four assists.  Lilli Mackley tied her season-high 15 points on her 6-of-10 field goals.  She had four rebounds and a block.  Tabor Teel, Bria Wasmund, and Miakken Vincent each tallied nine points.  Angela Slattery had six points and 10 rebounds. 

DSU shot 45.1 percent from the field (32-of-71 field goals) and limited WU to 32.3 percent (21-of-65 field goals).  The Trojans outscored the Warriors 42-24 inside the paint.  

A look at the remaining games in February/March
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 5, 2024)—Dakota State (S.D.) is inching closer to their fourth consecutive North Star Athletic Association regular-season title with four games remaining on their regular-season schedule.  The Trojans host Bellevue (Neb.) on Wednesday evening and visit No. 12 ranked Mayville State (N.D.) on Friday evening.

DSU wraps up their regular-season schedule next weekend at home, hosting Valley City State (N.D.) on Feb. 16 and Dickinson State (N.D.) on Feb. 17.  DSU will be hosting alumni weekend during the final regular-season home contests on Feb. 16-17, as well as Senior Night for the Trojan women's basketball team.

Dakota State had secured at least a home court advantage through the North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Postseason Tournament.  The opening round is set for Feb. 21, with the top seed receiving a bye and won't play until the semifinals round on Sunday, Feb. 25.  The NSAA championship game is scheduled for Sunday, March 3 at the highest remaining seed remaining.
 
The NAIA scheduled the announcement of the First and Second Round Host sites on February 29.  The NAIA First and Second Rounds are scheduled for March 15-16, with each of those opening round sites winners will advance to the final site at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, on March 21-26.

2023-24 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 396 points (16.5 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Tabor Teel - 59.7 percent (89-of-149 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Savannah Walsdorf - 39.3 percent (48-of-122 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Caitlin Dyer - 80.0 percent (28-of-35 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 161 rebounds - (6.7 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 56 assists (2.3 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Savannah Walsdorf - 75 steals (3.1 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 42 blocks (1.8 blocks per game)