January 20, 2024

MADISON, S.D. – NAIA's nationally-ranked Dakota State (S.D.) continued their dominance in the North Star Athletic Association regular-season action Saturday afternoon at DSU Fieldhouse.  The Trojans shook off their slow start and cruised past Waldorf (Iowa) by the score of 83-51 to remain undefeated in the North Star conference play with a 5-0 record.

Dakota State, ranked No. 11 in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, hit a season-high nine-game winning streak and raised their overall record to 17-4.  DSU's nine-game winning streak ties the eighth most straight victories in the school record book with the 1978-79 squad.

Waldorf dropped their fourth straight game, falling to 5-12 overall record and stayed winless in four NSAA conference contests.  The Trojans defeated the Warriors for the 10^th straight time and raised their all-time series record to 17-2.  DSU also lifted their home court record to 8-1.

Dakota State wraps up their NSAA's first-half schedule at home, hosting No. 13 Mayville State (N.D.) in the battle of undefeated teams in the league.  The annual Ag Ball contest is set for 5:30 p.m. at DSU Fieldhouse.

#11 Dakota State (S.D.) 83, Waldorf (Iowa) 51 – FINAL

The Warriors kept the Trojans scoreless in the first three-plus minutes of the game.  Brooke Dial scored the game's first four points to give Waldorf a 4-0 lead with 7:27 on the clock.

Angela Slattery snapped DSU's scoring drought with a 3-point play, trailing 4-3 with less than seven minutes to go in the first quarter.

Behind 6-4, Dakota State erupted for 13 straight points to grab a 17-6 lead after Savannah Walsdorf's 3-point play with 3:07 to go in the first quarter.  Miakken Vincent and Slattery highlighted the scoring run with back-to-back 3-pointers.

The Trojans led 22-11 after the first quarter, thanks to their 53.3 percent field goal shooting (8-of-15 field goals).  The Warriors were held to 28.6 percent from the field (4-of-14 field goals) in the first ten minutes.

DSU kicked off the second quarter with an 8-0 outburst, capped by an all-time career field goals made by Walsdorf after a fast-break opportunity (assisted by Vincent) for a 30-11 lead.  Walsdorf surpassed the previous school record held by Jessi Giles where she made 697 field goals from 2018-22.

Leading 33-16, the Trojans closed the second quarter with a 15-4 run in the final 3:45 to balloon their lead to 48-20. 

Dakota State outscored Waldorf 26-9 in the second period.  The Trojans shot a sizzling 54.3 percent in the first twenty minutes, while the Warriors were held to 28.6 percent (8-of-28 field goals).

DSU maintained their lead between 28- and 35-points in the third quarter.  Tabor Teel made a layup to close the third quarter for a 69-35 Trojans' lead. 

The Trojans posted their biggest lead of the game twice in the fourth period, a basket by Lilli Mackley (assisted by Morgan Huber) for a 75-38 lead with 6:12 remaining and a pair of free-throws from Caitlin Dyer for a 77-40 lead with 5:40 left.

Dakota State was 42.4 percent from the field in the second half (14-of-33 field goals) and held Waldorf to 28.6 percent (10-of-35 field goals).

Walsdorf led the Trojans with 19 points on her 9-of-12 field goals.  She also stole the ball three times and dished out two assists.  Mackley and Teel each added 10 points.  Teel grabbed nine rebounds, stole the ball three times, and recorded two blocks.

Vincent tied her career-high nine points off the bench for Dakota State.  She also tied her career-high with five rebounds.  Dyer scored seven points and contributed three assists.  Slattery had six points and eight rebounds.  Huber had seven points and three assists.  Bria Wasmund had five points and dished out a game-high four assists.  Olivia Ritter registered five points and five rebounds.

Dial led the Warriors with 15 points.  She had four rebounds.  Fatou Barry scored nine points, grabbed four rebounds, and stole the ball three times.  Edosa Ogbemudia and Lizzie Garza each had eight points.  Garza pulled down nine rebounds.  Ogbemudia and Lindsay Field each registered two blocked shots.

Dakota State shot 33-of-68 overall from the field (48.5 percent) and held Waldorf to 18-of-63 field goals (28.6 percent).  The Trojans hit 7-of-24 3-pointers, while the Warriors were 2-of-15 3-pointers.

WU converted 13-of-18 free-throws.  DSU was 10-of-14 from the free-throw line.

The Trojans won the rebounding battle, outrebounding the Warriors 47-38. 

Dakota State outscored Waldorf 13-0 in fast-break opportunities, 17-5 in points off turnovers, 52-22 inside the paint, and 37-8 in bench points.