Trojans Get Set For First True Ranked Road Test: Game Preview – #9 Dakota State vs #12 Mayville State
The #9 ranked Trojan Women’s Basketball team is on the road for the final time in conference play and they’ll get set to play the #12 ranked Mayville State Comets.
Mayville State
The Comets (18-3 overall, 7-1 NSAA) has won three straight games since last seeing the Trojans in the DSU Fieldhouse when Dakota State won 71-48. DSU and MSU have played twice this season and the Trojans are 2-0. This will be another Top 15 ranked game between the two teams and fifth for DSU against a Top 15 ranked team.
Mayville State has had a slow start in two of their last three games. They failed to score 15 points or more in the opening quarter and were trailing in one of those games. The Comets ended up winning all three games by double digits. This Comet group is undefeated 8-0 at home this season in the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse.
Jordan Zrust leads the Comets in scoring with 20.7 points per game. Alongside her in double figures is Mackenzie Hughes with 16.1 points per game. Mayville State averages 78.9 points per game through 21 games and are holding opponents to just 57.2 points per contest.
Dakota State
The Trojans know this team very well and momentum early will be pivotal in this hostile environment. Dakota State is 3-2 in ranked matchups this season. This game against the Comets will be their first true ranked road game this year.
DSU is led in scoring by Savannah Walsdorf with 16.3 points per game. Along with one other Trojan averaging double digits – Angela Slattery with 10 a game. Dakota State averages 80.1 points per game on the year and their 82.8 points through nine conference games lead all NSAA teams.
This group is coming off a season-low three turnovers. It was their only single digit turnover night all season long. Their continued attention to detail in their level of play on the floor has been rearing its head most on the defensive end. Leading the conference in points allowed per game with just 50.9 points a game. They also lead in opponents field goal percentage at 35.7% and sit second in opponent 3-pt percentage at 25.6% from beyond the arc.
Walsdorf is approaching a pair of all-time records on the road in Mayville. She is 11 points away from the all-time lead in scoring in program history. The all-time scoring leader is Jessi Giles with 1,955 points from 2018-22. As well as just five rebounds away from being number one in rebounds all-time for DSU. The rebound leader is currently Julie Fiegen who had 954 rebounds from 1983-86.
This Trojan group also has a chance to clinch the #1 seed in the postseason tournament. As well as a fourth-straight regular season NSAA title. A win on the road in Mayville would clinch both and further cement the legacy of David Moe and the DSU Trojans. With plenty of time to continue adding to it as well.
Tipoff for the game is set for 5:30pm in the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse with pregame beginning at 5:15pm on Jammin Country 103.
