January 30, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Jan. 30, 2025)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (16-3 overall record, 8-0 North Star Athletic Association record, ranked No. 6 in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) plays another three-game conference road stretch with a pair of games this weekend in North Dakota.  The Trojans conclude their second round robin of NSAA conference action Friday and Saturday.

Dakota State heads to Lewy Lee Fieldhouse (330 3rd Street NE) on Friday evening to take on Mayville State (N.D.) (14-6 overall record, 4-4 NSAA conference record, receiving votes in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll).  The tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Mayville, N.D.

DSU then travels to Valley City State (N.D.) (11-9 overall record, 3-5 NSAA conference record) Saturday afternoon for another NSAA conference contest.  The game is set for 3 p.m. at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse (730 8th Ave. SW) in Valley City, N.D.
 
Dakota State remained undefeated at home in North Star conference play with a 4-0 record after winning a pair of games last weekend at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans edged No. 24 ranked Jamestown (N.D.) 69-63, sparked by Angela Slattery's 1,000th career milestone on Jan. 24.  DSU added an 88-53 victory over Dickinson State (N.D.) on Jan. 25, thanks to 12 different players scoring in the game.

Valley City State used a quick start at Mayville State on Jan. 24, jumping to a 21-12 lead.  The Vikings held on to defeat the Comets by the score of 84-66, snapping their 13-game losing skid in the series meeting with the last victory coming on Dec. 1, 2018, in Mayville.
 
Up Next:  Dakota State begins their third round robin action in the North Star Athletic Association next Friday, Feb. 7, returning to Bellevue (Neb.) for the second time at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) is undefeated on the road this season with a 7-0 record, including a 3-0 road record in the North Star Athletic Association (defeated Dickinson State, Jamestown, and Bellevue).
+ The Trojans defeated Mayville State (N.D.) 97-71 in the first North Star conference meeting on Dec. 14, 2024, at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Comets had won the last two meetings held at Lewy Lee Fieldhouse, including the NSAA postseason tournament championship game on March 3, 2024, by th score of 61-59.
+ DSU is 7-3 record in the last 10 meetings with MSU.  The Trojans and the Comets were in the previous two North Star Athletic Association postseason tournament's championship game.
+ Dakota State rallied back for a 67-61 victory over Valley City State (N.D.) in their first NSAA conference meeting on Dec. 15, 2024, at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans outscored the Vikings 44-27 in the final twenty minutes of the game.
+ DSU had won the last five road meetings at VCSU since Feb. 13, 2021.
+ After this weekend's contests in the NSAA conference, each team has five games remaining on their 2024-25 schedule before the conference postseason tournament begins on Feb. 26 with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receiving first round bye.
+ DSU is averaging 77.3 points per game during the North Star Athletic Association contests, holding their opponents to 62.0 points per game.

Noteworthy...
DSU STAYS NO. 6 IN LATEST NAIA NATIONAL POLL:  Dakota State (S.D.) remained at No. 6 in the fifth edition of the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, announced Wednesday.  The Trojans extended their streak to eight straight editions being ranked inside the NAIA's Top 10 since Jan. 31, 2024.  The top six teams remained unchanged in the latest edition, with Dordt (Iowa) at No. 1, Indiana Wesleyan at No. 2, Campbellsville (Ky.) at No. 3, Southern Oregon at No. 4, Briar Cliff (Iowa) at No. 5, and Dakota State (S.D.) at No. 6.

SLATTERY REACHES 1,000-POINT MILESTONE:  Angela Slattery reached the 1,000-point career milestone after No. 6 ranked Dakota State's 69-63 victory over No. 24 ranked Jamestown (N.D.) on Jan. 24 at DSU Fieldhouse.  After UJ's head coach was called for a technical foul, Slattery was sent to the free throw line for two attempts late in the fourth quarter.  She nailed down a pair of free throws to meet her 1,000-point career milestone, becoming the 24th player in the Trojan women's basketball school record book to reach 1,000 points.  Slattery scored 119 points in her freshman year, 275 points in her sophomore year, 366 points in her junior season, and 250 points this season for the Trojans.

DAKOTA STATE IN THE NSAA RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats website as of Thursday, Dakota State leads the North Star Athletic Association in scoring offense with 77.3 points per game and scoring defense with 62.0 points per game.  The Trojans lead the North Star with 83 3-point field goals made during the conference play.  Hamtyn Heinz leads the NAIA and NSAA conference in 3-point field goal percentage of 59.1 percent (13-of-22 3-point field goals).  Tabor Teel leads the league with 8.4 rebounds 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 fell split a pair of recent games.  The Trojans rolled to an 84-57 victory over Mount Marty (S.D.) on Jan. 23 at DSU Fieldhouse.  DSU fell to Dordt (Iowa) on Jan. 27 in Sioux Center, Iowa.  Dakota State is 6-4 overall record before their next contest on Monday at rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) in Mitchell, S.D.

(6) Trojans win NAIA Top 25 battle with (24) Jimmies
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 24, 2025)—Trailing by two points by halftime, No. 6 ranked Dakota State (S.D.) rallied back with a 33-25 second half surge to defeat No. 24 Jamestown (N.D.) in the NAIA Top 25 battle at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans won by the score of 69-63, earning their first home win over UJ since Jan. 10, 2009.

The Jimmies led 18-15 after the first quarter, while the Trojans trimmed their deficit by two by halftime at 28-26.  DSU led 50-48 after three quarters and pulled away for the victory, highlighted by Angela Slattery's 1,000-point career milestone late in the fourth quarter.

Slattery finished the game with 21 points on her 7-of-13 field goals, 3-of-5 from the 3-point line, and 4-of-5 free throws for DSU.  Tabor Teel added a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds.  Bria Wasmund had 10 points and dished out four assists.  Cierra Watkins had seven rebounds.

Dakota State shot 36.1 percent from the field (22-of-61 field goals) compared to Jamestown 37.7 percent (23-of-61 field goals).  DSU outrebounded UJ 41-38 in the game.

(6) Trojans cruise to 14th straight victory
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 25, 2025)—No. 6 ranked Dakota State (S.D.) used a fast start to roll past Dickinson State (N.D.) 88-53 in the North Star Athletic Association action at DSU Fieldhouse.

DSU opened the game by scoring seven straight points and ballooned their lead to 18-2 with 4:06 to go in the first quarter.  The Trojans led 26-12 after the first ten minutes and 42-26 by halftime.  

Both teams scored 18 points in the third quarter where Dakota State led 60-44.  The Trojans held the Blue Hawks scoreless for nearly seven minutes in the final quarter, igniting a monstrous 22-0 scoring run.  DSU outscored DiSU 28-9 in the final quarter for their 14th straight victory.

Dakota State used a balanced scoring offense attack, with all 12 players scored in the game.  Tabor Teel had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds (9 defensive rebounds).  She added four assists and two blocks.  Hamtyn Heinz tied a season-high 14 points off the bench.  Bria Wasmund, Angela Slattery, and Olivia Ritter each scored 10 points.  Lilli Mackley had nine points and six rebounds.

DSU shot 48.4 percent (31-of-64 field goals) compared to DiSU 38.5 percent (20-of-52 field goals).

Teel named NSAA's Defensive Player-of-the-Week
Madison, S.D. (Jan. 27, 2025)—Junior forward Tabor Teel of Dakota State was selected to the 13th edition of the North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Defensive Player-of-the-Week.

Teel propelled on the defensive side for the sixth-ranked Trojans as they went 2-0 record in the NSAA conference action last weekend at DSU Fieldhouse, holding their opponents to 58.0 points per game.

She averaged double-double for the weekend with 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game for DSU.  She grabbed 11 rebounds (7 defensive rebounds) and recorded a block in Trojans' 69-63 victory over No. 24 ranked Jamestown (N.D.) on Jan. 24.

Teel followed up with 10 rebounds (9 defensive rebounds) and two blocks in DSU's 88-53 victory over Dickinson State (N.D.) on Jan. 25.

She averaged 8.0 defensive rebounds and 1.5 blocks per week for Dakota State.

According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Thursday, Teel leads the North Star Athletic Association with 8.4 rebounds per game.  She is also sixth in the league with 0.9 blocks per game.

Teel had produced double digit rebounds six times this season.  She grabbed a season-high 15 rebounds during DSU's victory at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Nov. 6.  She opened the season with 14 rebounds versus Southern Oregon.

2024-25 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Tabor Teel - 254 points (13.4 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Tabor Teel - 46.8 percent (94-of-201 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Hamtyn Heinz - 59.1 percent (13-of-22 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Angela Slattery - 76.5 percent (36-of-47 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 159 rebounds (8.4 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Bria Wasmund - 71 assists (3.7 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Bria Wasmund - 40 steals (2.1 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 18 blocks (0.9 blocks per game)