November 11, 2025
This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Nov. 11, 2025)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (3-0 overall record, ranked No. 4 in the 2025-26 NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll) returns to action Tuesday evening for the first time since Nov. 1.
The Trojans make their annual trip to the Sanford Sports Complex at the Pentagon (2405 W Benson Road) to face the NAIA's top-ranked and two-time defending national champion Dordt (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference Tuesday evening. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Dakota State kicks off their 22-game Frontier Conference schedule Saturday at their traveling partner Bellevue (Neb.) (3-1 overall record). The game is set for 2 p.m. tip-off at BU Fieldhouse (2102 Harvell Circle) in Bellevue, Neb.
DSU returns home to begin their season-high six-game home stand at DSU Fieldhouse, starting on Friday, Nov. 21 versus last year's Frontier Conference postseason tournament's champion Providence (Mont.) (3-0 overall record). The Trojans then host Montana State University-Northern (1-1 overall record) on Saturday, Nov. 22. Both games are scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
Up Next: Dakota State steps aside their conference play with a pair of non-conference games at home against members of the Great Plains Athletic Conference. The Trojans host Northwestern (Iowa) on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 6 p.m., followed by contest versus Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 5 p.m.
Dakota State hit season best start since 2007-08 season
No. 4 Dakota State (S.D.) kicked off their 2025-26 season by going undefeated 3-0 record. It was the first time since the 2007-08 season that the Trojans started the season with a 3-0 record.
The Trojans rolled past NCAA Division III Minnesota-Morris 76-40 as part of the Education Kick-off Classic at Madison High School on Oct. 27. DSU used a 40-12 second half outburst to pull away past the Cougars.
Dakota State then went to Salina, Kan., for the two-day Kansas Wesleyan Classic against a pair of Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference. DSU used a 25-8 fourth-quarter outburst to defeat host-team Kansas Wesleyan, qualified for the national tournament last season. The Trojans won by the score of 81-61 on Halloween.
DSU closed the week by hitting the century mark for the first time this season, defeating Bethel (Kan.) 100-75 on Nov. 1.
Dakota State averaged 85.7 points per game in their first three games of the season and held their opponents to 58.7 points per game. The Trojans shot 45.3 percent from the field to their opponents' 34.4 percent. DSU is averaging 14.7 steals per game.
Teel collects in conference and NAIA Player-of-the-Week awards
Tabor Teel, a senior forward for Dakota State (S.D.), was named to the first NAIA Women's Basketball Defensive Player-of-the-Week on Nov. 4. She also earned the Frontier Conference Offensive and Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors.
Her defensive stats speak volumes as she averaged 9.0 defensive rebounds, 2.3 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game during Trojans' season-opening week as they went 3-0 record.
In the season opener against Minnesota-Morris, Teel registered four blocks in DSU's 76-40 commanding victory. She also snagged five steals, contributing to Dakota State's 100-75 decisive win over Bethel.
Teel's performance was not limited to defense alone. She recorded a double-double in two of three contests with 17 points and 12 rebounds (3 offensive, 9 defensive) against Minnesota-Morris and 20 points and 14 rebounds (3 offensive, 11 defensive) against Bethel.
Her shooting accuracy was remarkable where she shot 60.9 percent from the field. Teel scored 27 points with a 61.9 field goal percentage at Kansas Wesleyan.
A look at DSU's season-high six-game home stand
After Saturday's game at Bellevue (Neb.) in the Frontier Conference basketball season opener, No. 4 ranked Dakota State (S.D.) returns home to DSU Fieldhouse for the first time this season next weekend. The Trojans begin their season-high six game home stand at DSU Fieldhouse, which features four league contests and two non-conference games.
Dakota State hosts Providence (Mont.) next Friday and MSU-Northern next Saturday, starting at 5 p.m. on both days. The Trojans then host Northwestern (Iowa) of the Great Plains Athletic Conference before Thanksgiving break on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 6 p.m.
DSU returns to action after Thanksgiving break on Tuesday, Dec. 2 in the Battle of the Blues versus rival Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) at 5 p.m. The Trojans return to Frontier Conference action on Dec. 5 versus Mayville State (N.D.) and on Dec. 6 versus Valley City State (N.D.), with both game times starting at 5 p.m.
Dakota State then plays six straight games on the road in the Frontier Conference, starting at MSU-Northern on Dec. 12 and at Providence on Dec. 13.
2025-26 DSU Trojan Women's Basketball Team Leaders
- Points/Points Per Game: Tabor Teel - 64 points (21.3 points per game)
- Field Goal Percentage: Tabor Teel – 60.9 percent (28-of-46 field goals)
- 3-point Field Goal Percentage: Hamtyn Heinz – 29.4 percent (5-of-17 3-point field goals)
- Free-Throw Percentage: Cierra Watkins – 60.0 percent (12-of-20 free-throws)
- Rebounds: Tabor Teel – 34 rebounds (11.3 rebounds per game)
- Assists/Assists Per Game: Tabor Teel - 13 assists (4.3 assists per game)
- Steals/Steals Per Game: Cierra Watkins - 8 steals (2.7 steals per game)
- Blocked Shots: Tabor Teel - 6 blocks (2.0 blocks per game)
