Trojans Push Through Tough Shooting Second Half to Punch Ticket to Fourth Straight North Star Athletic Association Championship Game
The #10 ranked Trojan Women’s Basketball team put away the Blue Hawks 72-50 in the Semifinals of the North Star Athletic Association Postseason Tournament.
The Trojans improved to 25-5 overall following the win and will advance to their fourth straight NSAA Championship game. DSU started out hot notching a 26-point opening quarter and put together a solid first half. Regardless, the Blue Hawks remained feisty and remained within reach at the half down 13. They wouldn’t go down without a fight knowing it was win or go home.
A tale of two halves between the two teams as neither team could buy a basket in the second half compared to the first. Dickinson State shot just 6-for-18 (33.3%) from the field and DSU shot a rough (23.5%) from the field. For DSU, all after raining down 11 threes and going 11-for-25 (44%) from deep, the Trojans shot just 5-for-19 (26.3%) in that second half.
It was a nice day though for the Blue Hawks’ Samantha Oase. Who posted a game-high 22 points on 64.3% from the field and the only Blue Hawk in double figures. She also grabbed five rebounds and had three blocks in the game. The Trojans came away with 19 steals in the game and the Blue Hawks finished with 30 total turnovers. Four different Trojans snatched three or more steals – Angela Slattery (3), Morgan Huber (3), Bria Wasmund (3) and Cierra Watkins (4).
Savannah Walsdorf led the scoring effort for the Trojans with 14 points. She also led in rebounds with six and assists with five. Walsdorf also grabbed one steal to give her sole possession of fourth on the single-season steals list with 94 total – 16 away from the top spot. Following Walsdorf in scoring was Slattery with 13 points and Caitlin Dyer added 12.
Next Game
Next the Trojans will be in the NSAA Championship Game on Sunday, Mar. 3 in Mayville, ND for a title game rematch against the #12 ranked Mayville State Comets.