Dakota State storms back to win NSAA Championship

Box Score
NSAA Tournament Site

MADISON, S.D. -- Top-seeded Dakota State University, who trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half, outscored second-seeded Bellevue University, 30-10, in the fourth quarter to claim the 2021 North Star Athletic Association Tournament title with an 80-72 victory Saturday night at the DSU Memorial Fieldhouse. 

No. 14-ranked DSU improved to 25-3 on the season, extending its winning streak to 21 games. The Bruins, who fell to 17-7 overall, will await word of their post-season fate when the NAIA National Tournament selection show announces all qualifiers on Thursday, Mar. 4 at 6 p.m.

Elexis Martinez (17), Faith Ross (16), and Laura Jurek (16) combined for 49 points to lead the BU offense. Ross scored her 1,000th career point in the loss. She reached the milestone with her second 3-pointer of the game with 4:12 left in the first quarter. 

Martinez recorded her third double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Jurek finished with 16 points and seven boards. Ross drained four 3-pointers, finishing with 16 points and four boards. 

Jessi Giles paced the Trojans with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field. Savannah Walsdorf added 15 points, four rebounds, and a pair of assists. Courtney Menning was the third Trojan in double figures, finishing with 15 points along with six assists. 

The two teams played even throughout the first quarter with the Bruins holding a slight 21-19 lead after the opening 10 minutes of play. Ross scored eight first-quarter points to lead the Bruins after hitting 2-of-3 from long range. Bellevue shot 50 percent from the field while the Trojans were 9-of-15 (60 percent) in the hot-shooting first quarter.  

After the Bruins used a 9-2 run to open the second quarter to extend the lead to nine points at 30-21, DSU countered with an eight-point spurt to draw to within one at 30-29 at the four-minute mark. 

BU responded by scoring the final seven points of the half to take a 37-29 lead into the intermission. 

Ross led BU in the opening half with 10 points and two rebounds. Jamie Winkler and Jurek chipped in with seven points apiece

The Trojans, who hit just 1-of-10 from behind the arc in the opening half, were led by Giles and Menning who each scored six first-half points. 

After Martinez scored seven-straight points to open the second half, extending the BU lead to 15 points, the Trojans answered with six-consecutive points to draw to within nine midway through the third quarter. The Bruins, once again, pulled away, scoring seven-straight points, capped by a 3-pointer from Lexi Allen, to take a 53-37 lead with four minutes left in the third. 

DSU closed the third on a 13-9 run to trim the deficit to 12 points at 62-50 heading into the final frame. 

The Trojans stormed back in the fourth, as Giles scored four-straight and Morgan Koepsell completed a 3-point play to draw DSU to within five at 62-57 at the eight-minute mark.  

A 3-pointer by Giles tied the game at 66-66 and a triple by Lexi Robson gave the Trojans their first lead of the second half at 69-66 with 3:46 left in the contest. 

A 22-4 run to start the fourth gave the Trojans a 72-66 lead at the 2:46 mark. 

The Bruins stayed alive with a 3-pointer by Ross that pulled BU to within three (75-72) with 1:31 remaining. 

Koepsell made three free throws in the final minute to seal the 80-72 victory.