No. 18 Dakota State pulls away for 80-72 OT win

Box Score
NSAA Standings

MADISON, S.D. -- The 18th-ranked Dakota State University women's basketball team outscored Bellevue University, 15-7, in overtime as DSU recorded an 80-72 victory in the opening North Star Athletic Association game of the season for both teams. 

The Bruins fell to 4-7 on the season and 0-1 in the NSAA with the loss. DSU improved to 10-3 overall and 1-0 in league play. 

Delaney VanBlaricon led four Bruins in double figures, finishing with 15 points, along with five rebounds. She went 7-of-11 from the field. 

Elexis Martinez added 14 points and eight boards. Asha Scott registered 13 points, three rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals in the loss. 

Faith Ross was the fourth Bruin in double figures, finishing with 12 points after going 4-of-9 from behind the arc. She added five assists, three steals, and three rebounds. 

Savannah Walsdorf (22) and Jessi Giles (21) combined for 43 points to pace the Trojan offense.  

The Bruins got out of the gates quickly with Ross and Laura Jurek draining 3-pointers to give BU an early 6-0 advantage before DSU countered with eight-straight points capped by a pair of triples from Giles. BU ended the first quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 13-10 lead heading into the second frame. 

The Trojans nailed two 3-pointers to open the second to grab a three-point advantage with 7:48 left before the intermission. The second quarter featured six ties and three lead changes as the two teams went into the halftime break deadlocked at 28 apiece.  

Ross led the Bruins in the opening half with nine points, going 3-for-4 from in 3-point attempts. 

Giles (12) and Walsdorf (7) combined for 19 points to pace the Trojans in the opening 20 minutes of action. 

Walsdorf scored the first five points of the third quarter and the Trojans maintained a five-point advantage until a 3-point play by Martinez drew the Bruins to within two points at 39-37 with 3:37 left in the third. After a pair of free throws by Lexi Robson gave the Trojans a four-point cushion, the Bruins used a 6-0 run sparked by consecutive baskets from Aminah Hall to take a 47-45 lead heading into the final stanza. 

A seven-point run to start the fourth quarter highlighted by a deep 3-pointer from Walsdorf gave the Trojans a 52-47 lead with 8:30 remaining in regulation. 

Scott scored six straight BU points as the Bruins pulled to within three at 56-53 at the 5:26 mark. 

Another 3-point play by Martinez and consecutive buckets by VanBlaricon tied the contest again at 60-60 with 2:44 left in the fourth frame.

After DSU quickly answered with a triple by Walsdorf. another jumper by VanBlaricon made it a one-point game at 63-62 at the 1:21 mark. 

Scott missed a layup on the next possession and Courtney Menning pushed the Trojan advantage to three points at 65-62 with 24 ticks left in regulation. 

Ross drained a smooth 3-pointer to make it a tie ballgame at 65-65 with 10 seconds remaining in regulation. Giles missed a baseline jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining setting up one final shot for the Bruins. Martinez's 10-foot jumper at the buzzer bounced off the rim, sending the game to overtime. 

BU missed four-straight free throws as the Trojans grabbed a 73-67 lead with 2:08 left in overtime. After a putback by VanBlaricon, Elsie Aslesen 's 3-pointer gave the Trojans a seven-point lead (76-69) at the 1:34 mark. 

VanBlaricon made it a five-point contest after nailing a short jumper at the 1:14 mark. 

The Trojans made 2-of-4 free throws in the final minute and a short jumper by Walsdorf to secure the 80-72 overtime victory. The Bruins missed 5-of-6 free throws in the overtime.  

Bellevue returns to the state of South Dakota next Wednesday, Dec. 8 when they travel to Mitchell to take on Dakota Wesleyan University. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at the Corn Palace.