March 12, 2025

This Week's Preview
MADISON, S.D. (March 13, 2025)—The Dakota State University Trojan women's basketball team (24-4 overall record, ranked No. 8 in the NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll) continues their postseason play as they host the 2025 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship First and Second Rounds Friday and Saturday at DSU Fieldhouse (1302 N. Washington Ave.).

The Trojans, No. 4 seed in the Duer bracket, welcome three other teams to the Madison's four-team pod of the of the NAIA National Championships.  Dakota State opens the national tournament against future Frontier Conference member Montana Tech (18-11 overall record, receiving votes in the final national poll) Friday at 5:30 p.m.  The Orediggers are seeded No. 13 in the Duer Bracket.

The second contest slated for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off will feature No. 5 seed Governors State (Ill.) (26-5 overall record, receiving votes in the national poll) and No. 12 seed Arizona Christian (25-5 overall record, No. 14 in the national poll). 

Friday's winners will meet in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championships Second Round with a tip-off at 6 p.m.

Dakota State and Governors State are coming off from their conference postseason tournament's title last week, earning the automatic bid to the national tournament.  Montana Tech and Arizona Christian received an at-large invitation to the national tournament, announced on the selection show on March 6.  The Trojans are making their five straight appearance to the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship.
 
Up Next:  The winners after the First and Second Rounds will move on to the final site at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, from March 20 through March 25.

This Week's Quick Hits
+ Dakota State (S.D.) closed their North Star Athletic Association era with their third conference tournament title after defeating Jamestown (N.D.) 65-59 on March 4.  The Trojans were in the postseason title game for five straight years.
+ It is the second straight year that the Trojans will be hosting the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championships at DSU Fieldhouse.  It is also the second straight seaason that DSU also hosted a team from the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (Indiana South Bend in 2024).
+ The Trojans carry their seven-game winning streak proir to the national tournament this weekend.  Dakota State had won 21 times in the last 22 games.
+ Daktoa State and Montana Tech will be meeting for the first time in their all-time series meeting on Friday evening.  Both teams will be in the Frontier Conference next season.
+ The Trojans are 11-1 record at home this season, posting an astounding 74-10 home record (.881 winning record at DSU Fieldhouse) since 2019-20 season
+ Dakota State had won the previous four opening round victories, including their single game in the opening round after defeating Frontier's foe Providence (Mont.) in Omaha, Neb., during the 2021 national tournament (48 teams at that time). 
+ The Trojans were 2-0 record in last year's NAIA National Tournament First and Second Rounds at DSU Fieldhouse.

Duer Quadrant's Four-Team Pod Quick Facts
ABOUT DAKOTA STATE (S.D.):  Dakota State (S.D.) is coached by David Moe and will be guiding their fifth consecutive national tournament appearance, their 11th overall in program history.  The Trojans are 16-10 record in the national tournament, reaching as far as national semifinals in the 2023 national tournament.  Dakota State, at 24-4 overall record, qualified for the national tournament after winning the North Star Athletic Association regular season and postseason tournament titles.  DSU defeated Science & Arts (Okla.), Indiana-South Bend, and Indiana Wesleyan in last year's tournament.

ABOUT GOVERNORS STATE (ILL.):  Tonisha Mack is the head coach for Governors State (Ill.) Jaguars with an overall record of 26-5.  The Jaguars, who received receiving votes recognition in the final NAIA national poll, qualified for the national tournament for the second straight year.  Governors State fell to Campbellsville (Ky.) in last year's national tournament.  The Jaguars are the No. 5 seed in the Madison's pod and received the automatic bid for the national tournament by winning the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and postseason titles.  GSU is on a six-game winning streak before the national tournament, defeating St. Francis (Ill.) in the conference tournament's championship game.

ABOUT ARIZONA CHRISTIAN:  No. 12 seed Arizona Christian, coached by Rusty Rogers, earned the automatic bid to the national tournament with an overall record of 25-5.  The Firestorm won their first ever Great Southwest Athletic Conference regular season title with a 12-2 record and fell to The Master's (Calif.) at home in the GSAC postseason tournament's championship game.  Arizona Christian is making their fourth NAIA national tournament appearance and have not yet won a game in the national tournament (0-3 record).  ACU lost to Reinhardt (Ga.) in last year's national tournament in Great Falls, Mont.

ABOUT MONTANA TECH:  Montana Tech, No. 13 seed in the Deur Bracket with an overall record of 18-11 from the Frontier Conference, will be making their first NAIA National tournament appearance since 2011.  It will be their third overall national appearance in program history.  Jeff Graham is the head coach for the Orediggers, who received an at-large invitation to the national tournament.  MT fell to Montana State-Northern in the Frontier postseason quarterfinals on March 2.

(8) Trojans close NSAA era with tournament title
Madison, S.D. (March 4, 2025)—Trailing by four points after the first quarter in the NSAA postseason tournament's title game at DSU Fieldhouse, top-seeded Dakota State (S.D.) outscored No. 3 seed Jamestown (N.D.) in the next three quarters to earn a 65-59 victory.

Jamestown led 18-14 after the first quarter, while Dakota State grabbed a 29-28 halftime lead.  DSU led 47-43 after three quarters and battled with UJ in the fourth quarter, pulling away for a six-point win.

Cierra Watkins scored a season-high 18 points on her 5-of-8 field goals and 7-of-10 free-throws for DSU.  She added six rebounds and tied a career-high four assists.  Lilli Mackley added 12 rebounds.  Angela Slattery had 11 points and eight rebounds.  Tabor Teel tallied eight points, eight rebounds, and two steals.  Olivia Ritter scored six points off the bench.

DSU shot 35.3 percent from the field (18-of-51 field goals) and 9-of-26 3-pointers.  UJ was 40 percent from the field (24-of-60 field goals) and 10-of-27 3-pointers.  The Trojans outrebounded the Jimmies 40-32.

Six DSU individuals earn North Star awards
Madison, S.D. (March 4, 2025)—Six Dakota State (S.D.) women's basketball individuals received the North Star Athletic Association postseason awards after the conclusion of the conference tournament's championship game at DSU Fieldhouse.

Tabor Teel was voted as the conference's Player-of-the-Year for the Trojans.  She was also named to the NSAA All-Conference First Team and All-Defense Team for the second straight year.

Angela Slattery was selected to the North Star Athletic Association Women's Basketball Second Team All-Conference.  She was named to the Honorable Mention team last season. 

Lilli Mackley and Bria Wasmund were named to the NSAA All-Conference Women's Basketball Honorable Mention for DSU.  Kristine Biniek was the recipient to the North Star Athletic Association Champions of Character award, displaying the five core values of the NAIA's Champions of Character award.

Head coach David Moe was selected as the NSAA Women's Basketball Coach-of-the-Year for the sixth consecutive year at Dakota State, guiding his team to their fifth straight conference regular-season title.

NAIA Women's Basketball Duer Quadrant overview
Madison, S.D. (March 6, 2025)—Dakota State (S.D.) was placed in the Duer Quadrant of the 2025 NAIA Women's Basketball National Championships as the No. 4 seed.  The Trojans host the Madison, S.D., pod with No. 5 seed Governors State (Ill.), No. 12 seed Arizona Christian, and No. 13 seed Montana Tech. 

No. 1 seed Campbellsville (Ky.) will host No. 16 seed Lourdes (Ohio) followed by No. 8 seed Mobile (Ala.)-No. 9 seed Williams Baptist (Ark.) in the top bracket.

The bottom half of the Duer Quadrant features No. 3 seed Briar Cliff (Iowa) as a host site in Sioux City, Iowa.  The Chargers host No. 14 Spring Arbor (Mich.), followed by No. 6 seed Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)-No. 11 seed Columbia (Mo.).

The other pod will take place in Olathe, Kan., as No. 2 seed MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) welcomes No. 15 Kansas Wesleyan.  The other match-up in Olate will feature No. 7 seed Mid-America Christian (Okla.) and No. 10 seed Northwestern (Iowa).

The other three brackets included Naismith Quadrant with Dordt (Iowa) as the No. 1 seed.  Bethel (Tenn.) is the No. 1 seed for the Cramer Quadrant, while Indiana Wesleyan is the No. 1 seed for the Liston Quadrant.  The NAIA national championship is set for Tuesday, March 25 at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City.

2024-25 Dakota State Women's Basketball Team Leaders

• Points/Points Per Game:  Tabor Teel - 389 points (13.9 points per game)
• Field Goal Percentage:  Cierra Watkins - 49.3 percent (68-of-138 field goals)
• 3-point Field Goal Percentage:  Hamtyn Heinz - 43.5 percent (20-of-46 3-point field goals)
• Free-Throw Percentage:  Lilli Mackley - 79.2 percent (38-of-48 free-throws)
• Rebounds:  Tabor Teel - 234 rebounds (8.4 rebounds per game)
• Assists/Assists Per Game:  Bria Wasmund - 99 assists (3.5 assists per game)
• Steals/Steals Per Game:  Bria Wasmund - 55 steals (2.0 steals per game)
• Blocked Shots:  Tabor Teel - 29 blocks (1.0 blocks per game)