• Tuesday..

From Mark Potts, VCSU

North Star Athletic Association Women’s Basketball Postseason Tournament.
Quarterfinals
Valley City State 72, Dickinson State 41

VCSU advances to the semifinal round on Saturday in Watertown, S.D.

VALLEY CITY – Gabby Martin ratcheted up the defensive intensity Tuesday night, fueling an impressive second-half performance by the Vikings.

Sparked by six second-half steals by Martin, the Valley City State women’s basketball team outscored Dickinson State by 22 points in the second half, running away with a 72-41 victory in the NSAA Quarterfinals. The Vikings recorded 11 second-half steals, leading to 14 points off turnovers over the final two quarters.

Leading 35-28 early in the second half, the Vikings broke the game wide open with a big run. A steal and 3-point play by Martin proved to be the spark, igniting a 13-0 run for VCSU. Mackenzie Huber capped the rally with two straight baskets inside as the Vikings opened up a 48-28 advantage with 4:22 left in the third quarter. Dickinson State would get no closer than 16 points the rest of the way, and Valley City State extended the lead to as many as 31 points.

VCSU advances to the North Star Athletic Association Final Four this weekend at the Watertown Civic Arena in Watertown, S.D. The Vikings will face No. 2 seed Bellevue University in the second semifinal on Saturday at 3 p.m. Bellevue defeated Dakota State on Tuesday, 65-49. Elsewhere around the conference, top seed Mayville State defeated Viterbo University, 72-56, and No. 5 seed Presentation College upset No. 4 Waldorf, 79-71.

With Tuesday’s win, the Vikings improve to 14-13 overall. Dickinson State ends the season with an 11-19 record.

“I am so proud of the way we competed on the defensive end of the floor, especially in the third quarter,” said Vanessa Keeler-Johnson, VCSU’s head coach. “Gabby Martin sparked us with her intensity defensively, and her teammates followed her lead. We still need to find consistency offensively, but when it comes to tournament time we just have to find ways to win, and tonight we did that on the defensive end.”

Valley City State finished the game with 15 steals, including seven by Martin and four by Hannah Schlecht. The Vikings held Dickinson State to just 27 percent shooting in the game, including 15 percent from 3-point range.

Offensively, four Vikings scored in double figures led by a game-high 14 points and nine rebounds from forward Alli Vandal. Huber and Schlecht each poured in 12 points, and Schlecht added eight rebounds and four steals. Martin finished with 10 points, seven steals and three assists. Dierra Diegel added seven points and six rebounds, and Kaitlin Connor had six points and six rebounds off the bench.

Emily Schafer‘s left-wing 3-pointer was the exclamation point on a quick start for the Vikings, who opened up a 13-4 lead on Schafer’s shot with 4:26 left in the first quarter. The Blue Hawks would score the final five points of the quarter, including a half-court heave at the buzzer by Celeste Pantoja that rattled home and cut VCSU’s lead to 13-9.

The teams played even through the first eight minutes of the second quarter before the Vikings closed the half with a mini 5-0 run – including a 35-foot buzzer beater by Alli Vandal – to take a 31-22 lead into the locker room. The Blue Hawks cut the Viking advantage to 35-28 early in the second half before VCSU’s game-changing 13-0 run broke the game wide open.

The Vikings outscored Dickinson 23-10 in the third quarter for a 54-32 lead. Martin’s left-wing 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter extended the lead to 59-32, and Alli Vandal followed with a 3-point play on the next possession to put the Vikings up 62-34 en route to the big victory.

Valley City State shot 47 percent from the field (33-70), 24 percent on 3’s (4-17) and 2-for-6 on free throws. Dickinson State shot 27 percent overall (16-60), 15 percent on 3’s (4-27) and 63 percent on free throws (5-8).

The Vikings held a 44-30 rebounding advantage and finished with 13 assists, 14 turnovers, five blocks and 15 steals. Dickinson State totaled eight assists, 18 turnovers, four blocks and six steals.

Pantoja led the Blue Hawks with two 3-pointers and 13 points off the bench.

Up next: Valley City State advances to the NSAA Final Four this weekend in Watertown, S.D. The Vikings will play Bellevue University in the second semifinal, Saturday at 3 p.m. All games during the NSAA Final Four will be played at the Watertown Civic Arena.