February 20, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (Feb. 20, 2025)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (20-4 overall record, 12-1 North Star Athletic Association record, ranked No. 8 in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) wraps up their conference schedule and regular-season schedule with a pair of games in North Dakota.

The five-time defending NSAA regular-season champion Trojans visit Jamestown (N.D.) (17-7 overall record, 7-6 NSAA conference record, receiving votes in the national poll) for the second time in their third NSAA conference meet.  The game's tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. at Newman Arena (1004 7th Street NE) in Jamestown, N.D.

Dakota State closes their regular season schedule Saturday afternoon, traveling to Dickinson State (N.D.) (8-16 overall record, 3-10 NSAA conference record).  The game is set for 4 p.m. (Central Time)/3 p.m. (Mountain Time) at Scott Gymnasium (1104 2nd Street W) in Dickinson, N.D.

DSU ended their North Star home schedule with another undefeated record, going 7-0 record after a pair of victories at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans defeated Mayville State (N.D.) 86-77 on Feb. 14 in the Ag Ball game, clinching the outright conference title.  Dakota State edged Valley City State (N.D.) 67-66 on Feb. 15. 

Jamestown snapped their two-game losing skid with a 67-50 road victory at Dickinson State on Feb. 14.  It was the lone North Star Athletic Association contest for both teams.
 
Up Next:  Dakota State awaits for their next opponent in the 2025 North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Postseason Tournament, which starts with the quarterfinals round on Wednesday, Feb. 26.  DSU plays the quarterfinal winner on Saturday, March 1, at DSU Fieldhouse.  The game is set to tip off at 1 p.m. in Madison, S.D., with the winner advancing to the championship game on Tuesday, March 7, at 7 p.m.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) completed their home regular season schedule with a 9-1 record, as well as 7-0 record in the North Star Athletic Association action at DSU Fieldhouse after their two victories on Feb. 14 and Feb. 15.
+ The Trojans are 9-1 record on the road this season, including a 5-1 record on the road in the North Star contests.
+ DSU won the first two NSAA conference meetings with Jamestown (N.D.).  The Trojans won the first meeting on Jan. 11 by the score of 74-72 at Newman Arena.  Dakota State won the second meeting 69-63 at DSU Fieldhouse on Jan. 24.
+ The Trojans extended their winning streak to 20 games in the series meeting with Dickinson State (N.D.).  DSU won both NSAA conference meeting, including an 87-51 victory on Jan. 10 in Dickinson, N.D.
+ Dakota State won the recent meeting with Dickinson State on Jan. 25 by the score of 88-53 at DSU Fieldhouse.
+ All six North Star Athletic Association members will be competing in the postseason conference tournament, which begins with the quarterfinal round on Wednesday, Feb. 26.  The top two seeds in the conference standings will receive the first round bye and will play at home in the semifinal round on Saturday, March 1 at 1 p.m.
+ Dakota State leads the North Star Athletic Association conference in scoring offense during the conference season, averaging 75.9 points per game.
+ The Trojans will be the No. 1 seed for the upcoming NSAA conference postseason tournament.

Noteworthy...
DSU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SET NAIA SCHOLAR-ATHLETES RECORD:  Dakota State (S.D.) produced a single-season program record of 11 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes, announced Wednesday by the NAIA national office.  The eleven athletes that achieved at least 3.5 cumulative grade point average and have attended the institution for one full year included Kristine Biniek, Caitlin Dyer, Alyssa Koffler, Lilli Mackley, Kirstie Munsen, Olivia Ritter, Angela Slattery, Tabor Teel, Molli Thornton, Bria Wasmund, and Cierra Watkins.

TROJANS IN THE NSAA RANKS:  According to the NAIA-PrestoStats as of Thursday, Dakota State's Tabor Teel leads the North Star Athletic Association with 8.8 rebounds per game.  She is also fifth in the league in field goal percentage, recording 47.1 percent from the field this season.  Hamtyn Heinz registers 48.6 percent from the 3-point line, which is the best in the NSAA conference.  Angela Slattery ranks ninth in the conference with 45.2 percent from the field.  Bria Wasmund is third in the conference with 3.7 assists per game.  Dakota State leads the NSAA conference in scoring defense during the conference season, limiting the opponents to 64.2 points per game.

TROJANS COME HOME FOR NSAA POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT:  Pairings for the 2025 North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball postseason tournament will be announced after the conclusion of the regular-season finale on Saturday evening.  Dakota State (S.D.) will have the home court advantage throughout the NSAA conference tournament after receiving the No. 1 seed.  The Trojans will be in action in the NSAA semifinals on Saturday, March 1 at 1 p.m., with the semifinals winners advancing to the championship game on Tuesday evening, tentatively set for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

2024-25 DAKOTA STATE JUNIOR VARSITY TEAM UPDATES:  The 2024-25 Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball junior varsity team concluded their 2024-25 schedule on Monday, Feb. 17 at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans held on to defeat Morningside (Iowa) 93-88 in a high scoring affair.  Dakota State finished their season with a winning record of 7-5, including a 6-2 record at DSU Fieldhouse.

(8) DSU wins NSAA regular season outright with win over MSU
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 14, 2025)—After a high-scoring affair in the first quarter, the nationally-ranked Dakota State (S.D.) outscored Mayville State (N.D.) 42-25 combined in the second and third quarters to earn an 86-77 North Star Athletic Association victory at DSU Fieldhouse in the annual Ag Ball Game.  The victory gave DSU their season series sweep of the Comets and captured the NSAA conference regular-season outright title.

Mayville State grabbed a 31-24 lead after the first quarter before DSU overtook a 46-43 halftime lead.  The Trojans extended their lead to 66-56 lead after three quarters and never trailed for an 86-77 victory.

Tabor Teel had career-highs double-double of 35 points and 16 rebounds.  Lilli Mackley added 17 points and five rebounds.  Angela Slattery scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds.  She had three steals.  Cierra Watkins had nine points and three steals. 

DSU was 42.9 percent from the field (33-of-70 field goals) to MSU 38.9 percent (28-of-72 field goals).

(8) Trojans hold off Vikings 67-66 on Seniors Day
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 15, 2025)—No. 8 Dakota State (S.D.) overcame their 29.4 percent field goal percentage, edging Valley City State (N.D.) 67-66 in the North Star Athletic Association action at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojan women's basketball team honored their five seniors after the completion of the game.

A total of 13 led changes and six ties were recorded in the game.  The Vikings held a slim 16-14 lead after the first quarter.  The Trojans trimmed their deficit to 33-32 by halftime.  Both teams scored 14 points in the third quarter, with VCSU holding a slim 47-46 lead.  DSU led 64-60 with less than 45 seconds to go in the game and held on to the victory.

Angela Slattery posted a double-double of 20 points and pulled down a career-high 12 points for DSU.  Tabor Teel added a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.  She had four assists and recorded a season-high four blocks.  Bria Wasmund had 10 points, seven assists, and three steals.

Dakota State shot 20-of-68 from the field and 11-of-44 from the 3-point line.  Valley City State was 41 percent from the field (25-of-61 field goals) and 6-of-14 3-pointers.

Teel collects NSAA Women's Basketball Defensive Player-of-the-Week honor
Madison, S.D. (Feb. 17, 2025)—The North Star Athletic Association has selected Dakota State's (S.D.) junior forward Tabor Teel as the Women's Basketball Defensive Player-of-the-Week.

Teel propelled the eighth-ranked Trojans to a 2-0 record for the weekend at DSU Fieldhouse, defeating Mayville State (N.D.) on Feb. 14 and Valley City State (N.D.) on Feb. 15. 

She posted double-doubles in both games, averaging 24.5 points an 13.0 rebounds per game for Dakota State.  She produced career-highs 35 points and 16 rebounds (11 defensive rebounds) in DSU's 86-77 victory over Mayville State.  She was 12-of-19 from the field and hit 9-of-10 free throws. 

Her 35 points is the fifth most single-game points in the DSU women's basketball school record book. 

Teel followed up with 14 points and 10 rebounds (6 defensive rebounds) as the Trojans edged Valley City State.  She also had four blocks in the game.

For the week, Teel averaged 9.5 defensive rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game for Dakota State.

After the games last weekend, Teel racked up 100 career blocks where she joined the Trojan women's basketball 'Top 10' school record book in all-time blocks.

2024-25 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Tabor Teel - 339 points (14.1 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Tabor Teel - 47.1 percent (124-of-263 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Hamtyn Heinz - 48.6 percent (17-of-35 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Lilli Mackley - 78.3 percent (36-of-46 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 210 rebounds (8.8 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Bria Wasmund - 89 assists (3.7 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Bria Wasmund - 51 steals (2.1 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 27 blocks (1.1 blocks per game)