January 16, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Jan. 16, 2025)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (13-3 overall record, 5-0 North Star Athletic Association record, ranked No. 6 in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) carries their 11-game winning streak Friday as they remain on the road in the North Star Athletic Association.

The Trojans visit their traveling partner Bellevue (Neb.) (10-7 overall record, 2-3 NSAA conference record) to begin the conference's second round-robin action Friday evening.  The game is set to tip off at 5:30 p.m. at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center (1000 Galvin Road South) in Bellevue, Neb. 

Dakota State is coming off from their 2-0 record in their first North Star road contests last weekend in North Dakota.  The Trojans cruised past Dickinson State (N.D.) 87-51 on Jan. 10 and held off No. 24 ranked Jamestown (N.D.) 74-72 in the battle of NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked teams on Jan. 11.
 
Bellevue went 0-2 record in North Dakota last weekend.  The Bruins fell to the Jimmies by the score of 73-65 on Jan. 10 in Jamestown, N.D..  BU also dropped a 64-61 overtime contest to the Blue Hawks in Dickinson, N.D., extending their losing streak to three games since their setback to Dakota State on Jan. 4.

Dakota State won the first meeting this season at DSU Fieldhouse, using a late second quarter and early third quarter scoring run for a 67-59 victory on Jan. 4.  The game was knotted 26-26 at halftime, while the Trojans outscored the Bruins 41-33 in the final twenty minutes of the game to secure the victory.
 
Up Next:  Dakota State returns home for a pair of North Star Athletic Association contests at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans host No. 24 ranked Jamestown (N.D.) on Friday, Jan. 24 in the annual cancer awareness night.  DSU welcomes Dickinson State (N.D.) on Saturday, Jan. 25 as part of Alumni Weekend.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) had won 10 times in the last 11 meetings with Bellevue (Neb.), including the last four victories.  The Trojans won the first NSAA meeting this season on Jan. 4 at DSU Fieldhouse by the score of 67-59.
+ The Trojans are 6-0 record on the road this season, with wins at No. 9 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.), No. 21 Northwestern (Iowa), (RV) Morningside (Iowa), Warner (Fla.), Dickinson State (N.D.), and No. 24 Jamestown (N.D.).
+ Dakota State and Bellevue will be playing their third North Star Athletic Association meeting next month on Feb. 7, which will return to Gordon Lozier Athletic Center in Bellevue. 
+ The Trojans had won 44 times on the road in the last 55 road contests since the 2020-21 season (6-0 road record this season).  DSU was 11-1 record on the road in 2020-21 season, followed by 10-4 road record in 2021-22 season, 8-3 road record in 2022-23 season, and 9-3 road record in 2023-24 season.
+ Dakota State currently leads the North Star conference by two games, holding a conference record of 5-0.  (RV) Mayville State (N.D.) and No. 24 Jamestown (N.D.) are tied for second with 3-2 record each, followed by Bellevue fourth at 2-3 record, and Valley City State (N.D.) and Dickinson State tied for fifth with 1-4 league record each.
+ The Trojans are averaging 76.0 points per game during the month of January. 
+ DSU have four home regular-season home games and five road regular-season games on their 2024-25 schedule.

Noteworthy...
INSIDE DSU'S 11-GAME WINNING STREAK:  Dakota State (S.D.) earned their 11th straight win after defeating No. 24 Jamestown (N.D.) 74-72 on Jan. 11.  The 11-game winning streak currently ties for the fourth longest winning streak in school history with the 2021-22, 1980-81, and 1983-84 squads.  The winning streak began on Nov. 16 at DSU Fieldhouse when the Trojans defeated NCAA Division III Minnesota-Morris 101-63 on Nov. 13.  DSU is averaging 80.2 points per game during their 11-game winning streak and held their opponents to 62.3 points per game.

FIRST ROUND ROBIN NSAA ACTION COMPLETED:  The first round robin of North Star Athletic Association action is completed after last weekend's contests.  Dakota State leads the North Star conference with a 5-0 record in the league, holding a 2-game lead over (RV) Mayville State (N.D.) and No. 24 Jamestown (N.D.) with 3-2 conference record each.  Bellevue (Neb.) is fourth with 2-3 record in the NSAA, while Valley City State (N.D.) and Dickinson State (N.D.) are tied for fifth with 1-4 record in the conference.  Each North Star members will play each other two more times for the remainder of the season.

DAKOTA STATE IN THE NSAA RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats website as of Wednesday, Dakota State leads the North Star Athletic Association in scoring offense during league play with 78.4 points per game.  The Trojans also lead the conference in field goals made (139 field goals) and 3-point field goals made (54 3-pointers) in five NSAA contests.  Tabor Teel ties the North Star conference in overall rebounding, averaging 8.3 rebounds per game for DSU.  Kenzie Simmons ranks fourth in the league in 3-point field goals percentage of 37.6 percent (44-of-117 3-pointers).  Angela Slattery and Teel tied for 10th in NSAA with 13.0 points per game, followed by Bria Wasmund 12th with 12.2 points per game for the Trojans.

2024-25 DAKOTA STATE JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM UPDATES:  The 2024-25 Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball junior varsity team returned to action with a pair of games at DSU Fieldhouse to kick off the 2025 year.  The Trojans defeated Mount Marty (S.D.) 66-52 on Jan. 13 and edged Minnesota West CC 57-56 on Jan. 15.  Dakota State is 5-2 overall record season and continues their action at Northwestern (Iowa) on Jan. 20 and returns home on Jan. 23 versus MMU.

(6) DSU makes it 10 straight wins after defeating DiSU
Dickinson, N.D. (Jan. 10, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) scored at least 20 points in each quarter, cruising to their 10th straight victory after their 87-51 victory over Dickinson State (N.D.) at Scott Gymnasium.  It was also DSU's 18th straight victory over DiSU in the series meeting.

The Trojans led 25-13 after the first quarter and ballooned their lead to 45-21 by halftime after outscoring the Blue Hawks 20-8 in the second quarter.  Dakota State stretched their lead to 66-35 after three quarter and outscored DiSU 21-16 in the final quarter to secure the victory.

Four Trojans scored in double digits, paced by Tabor Teel with 18 points.  She was 8-of-16 from the field.  She had seven blocks, three blocks, and two steals.  Lilli Mackley added 15 points and pulled down eight rebounds.  Angela Slattery scored 14 points.  Bria Wasmund recorded 13 points, two assists, and two steals.  Olivia Ritter tallied nine points off the bench.

DSU was 47.8 percent overall from the field and held DiSU to 35.5 percent (22-of-62 field goals).

(6) Trojans end losing skid in series meeting with UJ
Jamestown, N.D. (Jan. 11, 2025)—No. 6 Dakota State (S.D.) used a huge second half to erase their double-digit deficit to defeat No. 24 Jamestown (N.D.) 74-72.  Trailing by 14 points early in the fourth quarter, the Trojans roared back with a 40-24 scoring run to secure their first victory at Harold Newman Arena.

The Jimmies led 21-16 after the first quarter and extended their lead to 43-34 by halftime.  DSU outscored UJ 22-15 in the third quarter to trim their deficit to 58-56.  The Trojans secured the victory in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Jimmies 18-14.

Kenzi Simmons scored 18 points off the bench on her 6-of-8 3-pointers for Dakota State.  Tabor Teel added 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.  Bria Wasmund scored 11 points, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out four assists.  She stole the ball three times.  Angela Slattery had nine points, nine rebounds, a block, and a steal.  Angelina Chapple tallied a career-high nine points.

Dakota State shot 45.9 percent overall from the field (28-of-61 field goals) compared to Jamestown 43.3 percent (29-of-67 field goals).  The Trojans hit 12 3-pointers compared to the Jimmies five 3-pointers.

Trojans remain at No. 6 in NAIA Women's Basketball Top 25 poll
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 15, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) remained at No. 6 in the fourth edition of the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll.  The Trojans extended their streak to four consecutive editions of being ranked inside the NAIA's Top 10, which is the highest ranking since all NAIA basketball schools became one division five years ago. 

DSU had produced double digits winning streaks for six straight years, including the school record 23 straight wins during the 2020-21 season. 

Dakota State collected 51 more points from the previous national poll (406 points).  The Trojans tallied 458 points in current edition of the national poll.

The top four teams in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll remained the same, which DSU had faced a pair of teams in those top four spots.  Dordt (Iowa) stayed at No. 1 with an overall record of 17-0 with 21 first place votes and 570 points.  DSU fell short to the national defending champion Dordt at the Sanford Pentagon 79-76 on Nov. 13. 

Indiana Wesleyan is No. 2 with 17-0 record and 548 points (DSU defeated Indiana Wesleyan two straight times in the previous two national tournaments).  Campbellsville is No. 3 (15-0 overall record), followed by Southern Oregon at No. 4 at 15-0 record (Trojans fell to SOU 70-68 in Cattle Classic on Nov. 1).

2024-25 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Angela Slattery, Tabor Teel - 208 points (13.0 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Tabor Teel - 46.2 percent (78-of-102 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Hamtyn Heinz - 72.7 percent (8-of-11 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Lilli Mackley - 78.8 percent (26-of-33 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 133 rebounds (8.3 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Bria Wasmund - 59 assists (3.7 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Bria Wasmund - 29 steals (1.8 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 15 blocks (0.9 blocks per game)