March 14, 2025

MADISON, S.D. – No. 4 seed Dakota State (S.D.) used a 32-18 scoring run in the final twelve minutes and six seconds of the game to pull away past No. 13 seed Montana Tech 81-63 in the Duer Quadrant of the NAIA Women's Basketball National Championship First Round, presented by Ballogy, Friday evening in a near full house at DSU Fieldhouse.

Dakota State, ranked No. 8 in the final NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, ballooned their winning streak to eight games and raised their overall record to 25-4.  Montana Tech, receiving votes in the national poll, ended their season at 18-12 overall record.  Both teams will be members of the expanded Frontier Conference next season, which will feature a total of 12 teams (six schools each in the current North Star Athletic Association and Frontier Conference).

DSU is making their fifth consecutive appearance in the NAIA Women's Basketball National Tournament, winning all five national tournament openers.  MT was making their third trip to the national tournament, their first trip since 2011.

The Trojans move on to the second round versus No. 5 seed Governors State (Ill.) (27-5 overall record), who rolled past No. 12 seed Arizona Christian 74-53 in the second game Friday.  The game is set for 6 p.m. tip-off at DSU Fieldhouse.

[4] Dakota State (S.D.) 81, [13] Montana Tech 63 – FINAL

After trading leads to open the game, the Orediggers went on an 8-0 scoring run to open a 10-3 lead after a fast-break layup by Kia Wasson with six minutes and twenty-four seconds on the clock.

The Trojans snapped their four-plus minutes scoring drought after using a 7-0 run, capped by a layup from Cierra Watkins to tie the game 10-10 with 3:45 on the clock in the first quarter.

Tabor Teel closed the first quarter with a layup to give DSU a slim 18-17 lead.  There were five lead changes, and two ties recorded in the first ten minutes of the game.  Seven different Trojans players scored in the first quarter. 

DSU was 6-of-16 from the field in the first quarter (37.5 percent), including 4-of-11 from the 3-point line.  MT was 6-of-15 field goals (40 percent).

Lilli Mackley ignited the second quarter with a 3-pointer followed by a pair of free throws by Olivia Ritter as part of their 5-0 run, increasing their lead to 23-17 with less than eight minutes to go.

The Orediggers answered with a 7-0 run on their own, capped by a basket from Halle Haber (assisted by Aubrie Rademacher), regaining their lead to 24-23 with 5:31 on the clock in the second period.

Both teams traded leads until the Orediggers went on a 6-0 scoring run for a 35-29 lead after Humphreys' basket with less than a minute left.

DSU closed the second quarter with a quick 5- scoring run, sparked by a 3-pointer from Mackley (assisted by Ritter) and a layup from Teel, trailing 35-34 by halftime.

MT outscored DSU 18-16 in the second quarter.  The Orediggers shot 8-of-15 from the field (53.3 percent) and held the Trojans to 4-of-13 field goals (30.8 percent) in the final ten minutes of the first half.

Dakota State and Montana Tech battled back and forth in the third quarter with the lead no greater than three points.  Bria Wasmund drained a 3-pointer (assisted by Teel) with less than six minutes as DSU led 44-43.

Both teams were unable to score for more than two-and-half minutes until Mackley stole the ball and hit a fast-break layup to extend the Trojans' lead to 46-43 with 3:14 to go in the third.

Watkins made a fast-break layup as DSU's lead grew to 52-45 with 1:31 left in the third.

Dakota State led 54-49 after three quarters.  The Trojans outscored the Orediggers 20-14 in the third period, thanks to their 58.3 percent field goal shooting (7-of-12 field goals), including 3-of-5 3-pointers.  MT was held to 6-of-19 field goals (31.6 percent).

Leading 56-51, DSU hit four consecutive 3-pointers to spark their 12-0 outburst.  Hamtyn Heniz hit back-to-back 3-poitners, followed by Kenzi Simmons' 3-pointer and capped with another 3-pointer by Mackley for a 68-51 lead with 6:43 left.

Dakota State maintained their double-digit lead for the rest of the game, leading as many as 23 points after Angela Slattery hit back 3-pointers for an 81-58 lead with 1:09 left.

The Trojans outscored the Orediggers 27-14 in the final quarter.  DSU shot a blazing 10-of-15 from the field (66.7 percent) in the fourth quarter, including 7-of-11 from the 3-point line.  MT was held to 35.7 percent from the field (5-of-14 field goals).

Slattery and Wasmund each scored 16 points for Dakota State.  Slattery was 6-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-6 from the 3-point arc.  She also added five rebounds and three assists.  Wasmund was 5-of-11 from the field and 4-of-8 from the 3-point line.  She contributed a game-high six assists.

Mackley scored 14 points on her 5-of-9 field goals and 4-of-8 3-pointers for the Trojans.  She had four rebounds.  Heniz had nine points.  Watkins tallied eight points and three assists.  Teel registered seven points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block.  Simmons scored seven points off the bench.

Humphreys led the Orediggers with 19 points on her 8-of-15 field goals.  She grabbed six rebounds.  Brooklyn Hankwitz added 11 points and four rebounds off the bench.  Haber had nine points.  Wasson scored eight points and stole the ball four times.  Rademacher dished out five assists and registered two blocks.

Dakota State shot 48.2 percent overall from the field (27-of-56 field goals) and drained a season-high 17 3-pointers in 36 attempts (47.2 percent).  Montana Tech was 39.7 percent from the field (25-of-63 field goals) and 3-of-15 3-pointers.

Both teams made 10 free throws in the game.

The Orediggers outrebounded the Trojans 39-31.

DSU outscored MT 13-4 in fast break points.