January 17, 2025

BELLEVUE, Neb. – No. 6 Dakota State (S.D.) denied Bellevue's (Neb.) game-tying 3-pointer by Ashtyn Arnold, thanks to Cierra Watkins' block for Trojans' 69-66 North Star Athletic Association victory Friday at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.  The victory extended DSU's winning streak to 12 games, moving to the fourth longest winning streak in Trojan women's basketball school record book.

Dakota State, who remained at No. 6 in the recent NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, raised their overall record to 14-3 and remained undefeated in the North Star conference play with a 6-0 record.  The Bruins were handed their fifth straight setback, a losing streak that began at Dakota State on Jan. 4.  Bellevue fell to 10-8 overall record and 2-4 NSAA conference record.

Both teams will be meeting for their third NSAA conference meeting in Bellevue on Feb. 7.

DSU returns home next Friday as they welcome No. 24 ranked Jamestown (N.D.) in the battle of NAIA's Top 25 nationally ranked teams.  The NSAA contest is set to tip off at 5:30 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse in Madison, S.D.

(6) Dakota State (S.D.) 69, Bellevue (Neb.) 66 – FINAL

After Bellevue scored the first points after Josias Mickens' basket, Dakota State held the Bruins scoreless for five-plus minutes to pave a 9-0 scoring run.  Olivia Ritter hit a layup to give the Trojans a 9-2 lead with 4:29 on the clock in the first half.

BU closed the first period with a 9-2 scoring run in the final 3:33. A free throw by Zakiyyah Muhammad knotted the game at 11-11 by the end of the first quarter.  DSU was 4-of-18 from the field in the first ten minutes of the game, while BU was 4-of-11 from the field.

Dakota State kicked off the second quarter with a 3-pointer from Lilli Mackley (assisted by Angela Slattery) for a 14-11 lead with 9:35 on the clock.  The Bruins tied the game at 16-16 after a 3-pointer from Gabby Moore with less than seven minutes to go in the second.

Both teams traded leads or tied for the majority of the second quarter.  Simmons drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Tabor Teel) to stretch DSU's lead to 28-24 with less than two minutes to go before halftime.

The Bruins would close the second quarter with a 3-point play from Arnold, trimming the Trojans' lead to 28-27 by halftime.

DSU outscored BU 17-16 in the second quarter. 

Dakota State and Bellevue battled back and forth with lead changes.  Tied at 43-43, the Trojans closed the third period with a 7-2 scoring run in the final 2:18 highlighted by a 3-pointer from Bria Wasmund (assisted by Slattery) for a 50-45 lead.

The Trojans scored 22 points in the third period compared to the Bruins 18 points.  DSU shot 7-of-14 from the field (50 percent), including 4-of-10 from the 3-point arc.  BU was 7-of-12 from the field (58.3 percent) in the third quarter.

Dakota State ballooned to the biggest lead of the game at 59-51 after Angelina Chapple drained a 3-pointer with 6:45 remaining (assisted by Simmons).

After a pair of free-throws from Tabor Teel for DSU's 64-57 lead, the Bruins went on a 7-0 scoring run to tie the game at 64-64 with a layup from Arnold with 2:52 left.

DSU answered on the next possession with a pair of free throws by Slattery for a 66-64 lead with 2:31 left.

Wasmund added a free throw to extend the Trojans' lead to 67-64 lead with 1:46 left.  The Bruins were scoreless until less than seven seconds in the game.  Kaylee Denker hit a pair of free throws as Bellevue trailed 67-66.

Dakota State called a timeout to advance the ball to the front court.  Bellevue committed a foul with 4.6 seconds remaining.  Mackley hit a pair of free throws for 69-66 DSU lead, while BU called a timeout to advance to the front court.

BU's Arnold's 3-point field goal attempt was blocked by Watkins, securing the victory for the Trojans.

Bellevue outscored Dakota State 21-19 in the final quarter.

Five Trojan players scored in double digits, led by Teel with 13 points.  She also had five rebounds.  Simmons scored 12 points and contributed two assists off the bench.  She had four rebounds.  Slattery and Wasmund each had 11 points and three assists.  Slattery grabbed eight rebounds.  Mackley tallied 10 points.

Chapple scored seven points off the bench for DSU.  She collected five rebounds.  Watkins stole the ball three times and recorded two blocks.  Wasmund, Simmons, and Ritter each stole the ball twice.

Arnold led the Bruins with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Moore added 14 points and four assists.  Denker had 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench.  Brandi Dunn had 10 points.  Muhammad and Micken each had seven rebounds. 

Dakota State shot 31.7 percent overall from the field (20-of-63 field goals), while Bellevue was 42.6 percent (23-of-54 field goals).  The Trojans hit 10 3-pointers in 36 attempts (27.8 percent) compared to the Bruins 8-of-20 3-pointrs (40 percent).

DSU hit 19-of-23 free throws (82.6 percent).  BU was 12-of-18 at the free throw line (66.7 percent).

Bellevue outrebounded Dakota State 44-35. 

The Trojans outscored the Bruins 18-8 in points off turnovers (Bellevue committed 22 turnovers in the game to Dakota State nine turnovers).  Both teams scored 22 points off the bench.

The game was tied eight times and registered 11 lead changes.