January 3, 2024
SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Dakota State (S.D.) used a pair of career-highs 20-plus points to kick off the New Year Wednesday evening, winning their fourth straight game with a 71-70 tightly close contest over Briar Cliff (Iowa) in the battle of NAIA's Top 25 teams. The Trojans earned their fourth win in the last five meetings with the Chargers, including two straight victories at the Newman Flanagan Center.
Dakota State, ranked No. 13 in the latest NAIA Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, closed their non-conference schedule with 12-4 record. It was DSU's first win against NAIA's Top 10 team and second win over NAIA's Top 25 team this season. Briar Cliff, ranked No. 8 in the national poll, fell to 11-2 overall record.
DSU opens their 12-game North Star Athletic Association slate Saturday afternoon. The Trojans, currently 3-0 record on their 7-game road stretch, visit Bellevue (Neb.) in the conference opener. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at Gordon Lozier Athletic Center in Bellevue, Neb.
(13) Dakota State (S.D.) 71, (8) Briar Cliff (Iowa) 70 – FINAL
Dakota State opened with a 2-0 lead after a pair of free-throws by Caitlin Dyer with nine minutes, forty-five seconds on the clock. Both teams traded leads for the next four minutes span before the Trojans widened their lead to 15-11 after a 3-pointer from Angela Slattery (assisted by Lilli Mackley) with 4:26 to go in the first.
The Chargers knotted the game at 15-15 after Konnor Sudmann's layup with 3:42 on the clock in the first period. DSU then went on a 5-0 run to earn a five-point lead at 20-15 with 2:17 remaining in the first quarter.
Briar Cliff closed the first quarter with a 7-0 run, sparked by a 3-pointer from Mallie McNair followed by back-to-back baskets inside the paint by Sudmann.
Dakota State shot 58.3 percent from the field in the first ten minutes (7-of-12 field goals), including a blazing 4-of-5 from the 3-point arc. BCU was 47.4 percent from the field (9-of-19 field goals) and 2-of-4 from the 3-point line in the first period.
Slattery stole the ball and converted a fast-break layup to give the Trojans the largest lead of the game at 32-26 with less than seven minutes to go in the second quarter.
With DSU leading 38-34, Cadence Davis fueled a 7-0 scoring run as BCU regained their lead at 41-38 with 1:41 remaining. Slattery answered with her fifth 3-pointer in the first half (assisted by Cierra Watkins), tying the game at 41-41 with less than a minute.
Rachel Langel made a basket inside the paint as the Chargers took a slim 43-41 halftime edge.
Both teams scored 21 points in the second quarter. DSU was 8-of-16 field goals (50 percent) in the final ten minutes of the first half, while BCU hit 9-of-14 field goals S (64.3 percent).
Both teams went through a see-saw battle to start the third period, with a lead no greater than four points. Briar Cliff stretched their lead to 50-45 after a 3-pointer by Kenna Mongan with 4:09 to go in the third quarter.
Trailing 54-49, Dakota State staged a 7-0 run propelled by four straight points by Tabor Teel and capped by a layup by Savannah Walsdorf for 56-54 lead with 1:09 to go in the third.
The Chargers scored the last four points of the third quarter to regain their lead at 58-56.
DSU and BCU each scored 15 points in the third period. The Trojans shot 6-of-13 field goals (46.2 percent) and limited the Chargers to 5-of-17 field goals (29.4 percent).
After trading or tying the game in the early going of the fourth quarter, the Chargers stretched their lead to 67-62 capped by a 3-point play from Sudmann with 3:49 remaining.
Teel made two straight baskets as the Trojans trimmed BCU's lead to 67-66 with 2:18 left.
Payton Slaughter hit a pair of free-throws to give the Chargers a 69-67 lead with 1:21 remaining. Morgan Huber followed up with a basket on the next possession as the Trojans tied the game 69-69 with less than a minute to go.
BCU's Kennedy Benne was sent to the free-throw line after DSU committed a foul with less than 40 seconds left. She missed the first free-throw attempt and made the second free-throw attempt as the Chargers took a 70-69 lead.
The Chargers committed a foul to send Teel to the free-throw line for two attempts. Teel hit both free-throws as Dakota State grabbed a 71-70 lead with less than 25 seconds to go in the game.
The Trojans' defense halted the Chargers to score as McNair missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer as Teel grabbed a rebound and called timeout with less than three seconds to go.
DSU earned the advantage to advance the ball the front court and used up the final seconds to the game to secure the thrilling victory.
The Trojans outscored the Chargers 15-12 in the fourth quarter. Dakota State was 6-of-14 from the field (42.9 percent) and limited Briar Cliff to 4-of-16 field goals (25 percent).
Teel posted a career-high 23 points off the bench on her 8-of-12 field goals and 7-of-8 free-throws for Dakota State. She also produced a double-double with 10 rebounds. She registered three blocked shots and stole the ball three times.
Slattery added a career-high 20 points (all points scored in the first half) on her 7-of-10 field goals, including 5-of-7 from the 3-point line for the Trojans. She grabbed eight rebounds and recorded three steals. Walsdorf tallied 13 points, six rebounds, and four steals.
Bria Wasmund scored seven points off the bench for DSU. Dyer and Huber each had four points. Miakken Vincent grabbed four rebounds. Dyer had three assists.
Sudmann led the Chargers with 20 points on her 8-of-13 field goals and earned five rebounds. Langel added 12 points and collected six rebounds. McNair had 10 points and four steals. Slaughter had six rebounds and five assists.
Dakota State was 27-of-55 field goals (49.1 percent) compared to Briar Cliff 27-of-66 field goals (40.9 percent). The Trojans drained 7-of-21 3-pointers, while the Chargers were 6-of-19 3-pointers. Both teams made 10 free-throws.
DSU took advantage on the boards, outrebounding BCU 37-21. The Trojans outscored the Chargers 10-1 in second chance points. Dakota State outscored Briar Cliff 30-16 in bench points and 40-36 inside the paint.