January 22, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Jan. 22, 2025)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (14-3 overall record, 6-0 North Star Athletic Association record, ranked No. 6 in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) returns home this weekend for the first time since Jan. 4.  The Trojans host a pair of North Star Athletic Association contests at DSU Fieldhouse (1302 N. Washington Ave.) during alumni weekend.

DSU hosts Jamestown (N.D.) (14-5 overall record, 4-3 NSAA conference record, No. 24 in the latest NAIA women's basketball national poll) in the battle of NAIA's Top 25 teams Friday evening.  The game is set for 5:30 p.m. tip-off in the annual cancer awareness game (fans encourage to wear pink clothing or sneakers at the game to raise cancer awareness). 

The Trojans hosts Dickinson State (N.D.) (7-11 overall record, 2-5 NSAA conference record) Saturday afternoon.  The game is slated for a 3 p.m. tip-off.  Madison Regional Health System will be the game day sponsor.
 
Dakota State extended their winning streak to 12 games after edging Bellevue (Neb.) 69-66 to kick off the second round of North Star conference round robin play on Jan. 24.  The Trojans wrapped up their three-game road stretch undefeated (3-0 record), remaining undefeated on the road this season (7-0 away record). 

Jamestown split a pair of home games last weekend, defeating (RV) Mayville State (N.D.) 81-70 on Jan. 17 before falling to Valley City State (N.D.) 91-75 on Jan. 18.  Dickinson State defeated VCSU 65-63 on Jan. 17, thanks to the game-winning basket at the buzzer.  The Blue Hawks fell to the Comets 69-46 on Jan. 18.
 
Up Next:  Dakota State heads to North Dakota next weekend for a pair of NSAA conference contests.  The Trojans visit (RV) Mayville State next Friday at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse and Valley City State next Saturday at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) is seeking for their first home win over Jamestown (N.D.) at DSU Fieldhouse since Jan. 10, 2009.  The last time the Jimmies visited at DSU was on Oct. 26, 2019.
+ The Trojans snapped their 23-game losing skid in the series meeting with UJ after their 74-72 road victory in the first NSAA conference meeting on Jan. 11.  It was the first win in Jamestown since Feb. 1, 2008.
+ DSU extended their winning streak to 19 games in the series meeting with Dickinson State (N.D.) after their 87-51 road victory on Jan. 10 at Scott Gymnasium in Dickinson, N.D.
+ The Trojans had won nine straight home games with the Blue Hawks since Jan. 5, 2018, at DSU Fieldhouse.
+ Dakota State returns to Jamestown and Dickinson State for the third North Star conference meeting on the final regular-season weekend on Feb. 21-22.
+ The Trojans have four home regular-season contests remaining on their 2024-25 schedule at DSU Fieldhouse.  The conference postseason tournament begins on Feb. 26 and continues March 1 and March 4 at the higher seed in each round.
+ Dakota State is averaging 81.3 points per game at home this season at DSU Fieldhouse.
+ DSU is averaging 76.8 points per game during the North Star Athletic Association contests, holding their opponents to 63.3 points per game.
 
Noteworthy...
DSU HOME COOKING:  Dakota State (S.D.) produced an astounding 35-1 record (.972 winning percentage) in the last 36 North Star Athletic Association home regular season contests at DSU Fieldhouse since the last five home NSAA regular-season contests of the 2019-20 season.  The Trojans are on a 19-game home court winning streak in the North Star Athletic Association regular-season play.  Dakota State had produced two consecutive seasons of undefeated home record in league play, three times in the last four seasons (7-0 record in 2020-21, 6-1 record in 2021-22, 7-0 record in 2022-23, and 6-0 record in 2023-24 season; currently 3-0 record at home in conference play this season).

NSAA IN SECOND ROUND OF ROUND ROBIN PLAY:  Dakota State is currently in their second round of North Star Athletic Association round robin play.  The Trojans currently lead the conference with 6-0 record.  Jamestown (N.D.) and Mayville State (N.D.) are tied for second with 4-3 record each, followed by Bellevue (Neb.) fourth with 2-4 record.  Valley City State (N.D.) and Dickinson State (N.D.) are tied for fifth with 2-5 record each.  The third round robin of North Star conference play is scheduled for Feb. 7, with the regular-season schedule ending on Saturday, Feb. 22.

DAKOTA STATE IN THE NSAA RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats website as of Wednesday, Dakota State averages 76.8 points per game during conference play which is the top scoring offense in the North Star Athletic Association.  The Trojans also lead the league in scoring defense, allowing their conference foes to 63.3 points per game.  DSU leads the North Star in 3-point field goals made with 64 3-pointers and third in field goal percentage of 40.5 percent (159-of-393 field goals).  DSU leads the NSAA conference with 14.3 assists per game in six conference games.

2024-25 DAKOTA STATE JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM UPDATES:  The 2024-25 Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball junior varsity team fell to Northwestern (Iowa) 82-62 on the road on Jan. 20.  The Trojans take their 5-3 overall record as they host Mount Marty (S.D.) for the second time Thursday evening.  DSU kicks off their three-game road stretch on Monday as they visit Dordt (Iowa).

(6) Trojans escape for 69-66 NSAA victory at Bruins
Bellevue, Neb. (Jan. 17, 2025)—No. 6 ranked Dakota State (S.D.) escaped for a 69-66 North Star Athletic Association victory over Bellevue (Neb.) at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center, thanks to Cierra Watkins' block on BU's potential game-tying 3-pointer with no time left in the game.

The game was knotted at 11 after the first quarter, as DSU took a slim 28-27 halftime lead.  The Trojans outscored the Bruins 22-18 to lead 50-45 after three quarters and held off BU in the final quarter.

Five Trojan players scored in double digits, led by Tabor Teel with 13 points.  She also had five rebounds.  Kenzi Simmons scored 12 points and contributed two assists off the bench.  She collected four rebounds.  Angela Slattery and Bria Wasmund each had 11 points and three assists.  Slattery pulled down eight rebounds.  Lilli Mackley scored 10 points.

Dakota State shot 31.7 percent from the field (20-of-63 field goals), while Bellevue shot 42.6 percent (23-of-54 field goals).  DSU was 19-of-23 free-throws to BU 12-of-18 free-throws.

Inside Trojans' 12-game winning streak
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 22, 2025)—NAIA's nationally-ranked No. 6 Dakota State (S.D.) is currently on a 12-game winning streak that began on Nov. 16.  The Trojans defeated NCAA Division III Minnesota-Morris 101-63 that propels to their 12-game winning streak.  The Trojans were undefeated in the regular-season play during the month of December through last Friday's game at Bellevue (Neb.).

The Trojans' 12-game winning streak is the fourth longest winning streak in the women's basketball school record book.  Dakota State had produced double digits winning streak for sixth consecutive season, starting with 10 straight wins in 2019-20.

The school record was set in 2020-21 when the Trojans had won 23 straight games, which included the North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament title and advanced to the NAIA national quarterfinals when they fell to Thomas More (Ky.).

DSU is averaging 79.3 points, 41.8 rebounds, and 15.3 assists per game during their current 12-game winning streak.  DSU held their opponent to 62.6 points per game during the streak.

Dakota State (S.D.) in the NSAA conference ranks
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 22, 2025)—According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Wednesday, Dakota State's (S.D.) Tabor Teel ranks second in the North Star Athletic Association in overall rebounding.  She averages 8.1 rebounds per game this season for the Trojans.  She is also 10th in the conference with 13.0 points per game, followed by her teammate Angela Slattery 11th with 12.9 points per game.

Bria Wasmund averages 12.1 points per game for DSU, which is 12th best scoring offense in the North Star conference.  She is also third in the North Star conference with 3.6 assists per game.

Slattery ranks seventh in the league with 6.4 rebounds per game.  Teel ranks sixth in the conference with 0.9 blocks per game.  She is eighth in the league with 45.8 field goal accuracy (82-of-179 field goals).

Dakota State leads the conference in scoring defense with 63.3 points per game allowed in six league contests this season.  The Trojans also limited their opponents to 38 3-pointers in league action, the fewest 3-pointers allowed in the North Star conference.

DSU holds a plus 5.8 rebounds margin in the conference play, which leads the North Star conference in rebounding margin.  The Trojans also lead the league with 13.8 assists per game in prior the NSAA conference action this weekend at DSU Fieldhouse.

2024-25 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Tabor Teel - 221 points (13.0 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Tabor Teel - 45.8 percent (82-of-179 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Hamtyn Heinz - 61.5 percent (8-of-13 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Angela Slattery - 77.5 percent (31-of-40 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 138 rebounds (8.1 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Bria Wasmund - 62 assists (3.6 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Bria Wasmund, Cierra Watkins - 31 steals (1.8 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 15 blocks (0.9 blocks per game)