Osthus nets career-high as No. 8 Tigers take care of Defenders

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Using a 12-4 run to begin the fourth quarter, the No. 8 Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team powered their way to victory against Dordt College 87-64 in Great Plains Athletic Conference action Wednesday in Sioux Center, Iowa.

 The combination of Rylie Osthus (De Smet, S.D.) and Chesney Nagel (Springfield, S.D.) helped the Tigers (17-4, 9-3 GPAC) jump out to a 9-2 lead in the opening minutes of the game. The next time down the court, Ashley Bray (Anoka, Minn.) nailed a deep 3-pointer to extend the lead. Following back-to-back made jumpers by Jessica Mieras (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Osthus drained a 3-pointer to give DWU a double-digit lead.

 The Defenders (9-12, 4-8 GPAC) cut into the DWU lead after a 3-pointer of their own, making it a 26-19 game. The Tigers had an answer thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers by Osthus and Mieras making it a score of 40-28 heading into the locker rooms.

 Once again, Dordt cut the lead to single digits in the opening minutes of the second half. However, the Tigers went on a 10-4 run in the middle of the third quarter thanks to a deep three-point shot by Madison Mathews (Draper, S.D.).

 With the lead already in double digits in the fourth quarter, Ashley Bray helped give the Tigers their biggest lead of the game of 23 points following a made free throw after getting fouled on a made three-point shot. Kynedi Cheeseman (Alexandria, S.D.) capped off the night with six-straight points in the closing minutes to help secure the victory.

 Osthus scored 20 points off a career-high 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 from three-point range along with nine assists. Cheeseman tallied 14 points, while Ashley Bray added 13 points and six rebounds and Mieras recorded 13 points off the bench. The Tigers shot 52 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point range, while out-rebounding the Defenders 41-33.

 DWU hits the road for a second-straight game as they take on GPAC foe Doane University Saturday at 2 p.m. in Crete, Neb.