VALLEY CITY, N.D. (DAKOTA STATE) — NAIA’s nationally ranked No. 16 Dakota State (S.D.) used a 31-12 scoring outburst in the second quarter over host-team Valley City State (N.D.) Friday evening, cruising to a 92-58 victory Friday evening at W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse.  The victory also extended the Trojans’ winning streak to five games.

Dakota State raised their overall record to 5-2.  Valley City State fell to 4-3 overall record.  The Trojans remained undefeated in the Dakota Clash, which is in their fourth year of the tournament.

The Trojans scored 90 plus points for the second straight game, their third time this season.  DSU earned its 11th straight victory over the Vikings in the series meeting.

Dakota State closes out the month of November, taking on No. 22 ranked Mayville State (N.D.) in the battle of NAIA’s Top 25 ranked teams.  Tip-off from the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse is set for 3 p.m.

(16) Dakota State (S.D.) 92, Valley City State (N.D.) 58 – FINAL

Dakota State kicked off the game with a 3-pointer from Morgan Huber for a 3-0 lead with nine minutes and thirty-three seconds on the clock.  The Trojans never trailed for the rest of the game.

Ashlyn Diemert made a basket as the Vikings trimmed their deficit to 3-2 with 8:50 left in the first quarter.

The Trojans then scored six straight points from three different scorers – Caitlin Dyer, Olivia Ritter, and Cierra Watkins – to balloon their lead to 9-2 with less than seven minutes to go in the first.

VCSU could get no closer than two points at 9-7 after going a 5-0 run, capped by a basket from Adriana Torres with 5:54 to go in the first quarter.

Watkins closed the first quarter with a pair of free-throws to put DSU up 18-13.

Leading 23-17 in the second quarter, the Trojans went on a 7-0 scoring run to widen their lead to 30-17 after a basket by Huber with 6:53 on the clock.

DSU held VCSU to eight points in the final 6:06 of the second quarter.  The Trojans poured in 19 points during that stretch, ballooning their lead to 49-25 after a pair of free-throws from Angela Slattery.

Dakota State highlighted the second quarter with 9-of-17 field goals and converted 11-of-12 free-throws.  Valley City State was 6-of-12 from the field in the final ten minutes of the first half but committed 12 turnovers.

The Trojans maintained their 20-plus points lead during the third quarter, closing with a basket from Tabor Teel for a 69-44 lead.  DSU outscored VCSU 20-19 in the third.

Dakota State posted the biggest lead of the game at 92-55 after a 3-pointer by Ritter (assisted by Brooke Gunderson) with 1:06 remaining.

DSU outscored VCSU 23-14 in the final ten minutes of the game. 

The Trojans used a balanced scoring attack with four players scoring in double-digits.  Savannah Walsdorf scored 19 points, grabbed five rebounds, and stole the ball four times.  She was 9-of-14 from the field. 

Watkins tallied a season-high 19 points off the bench for Dakota State.  She was 5-of-6 from the field and hit 9-of-10 free-throws.  Huber added 15 points on her 5-of-10 field goal shooting.  She recorded three steals.  Teel scored 12 points (5-of-6 field goals) and pulled down eight rebounds.

Lilli Mackley collected seven rebounds, stole the ball four times, and registered two blocked shots for DSU.  Ritter scored eight points and earned four rebounds.  Miakken Vincent had six points.

Diemert led the Vikings with 12 points.  She had four rebounds.  Katie Johnson scored 11 points off the bench, while Adriana Torres added 10 points and five rebounds.  Ellie Powell had six points and seven rebounds.  Ellie Braaten stole the ball three times.

Dakota State shot 45.6 percent overall from the field (31-of-68 field goals) compared to Valley City State 40.7 percent (24-of-59 field goals).  The Trojans converted 22-of-31 free-throws, while the Vikings were 3-of-7 free-throws.

VCSU outrebounded DSU 40-37 in the game.  Dakota State outscored Valley City State 35-11 in points off turnovers.  The Trojans scored 52 points inside the paint to the Vikings 29 points.