WOMEN’S BASKETBALL DEFEATS NO. 22 DORDT ON THE ROAD, 80-75, IN GPAC ACTION

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – Whereas the weather may have been cold and frigid outside, the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team continued its hot streak defeating conference foe No. 22 Dordt University, 80-75, in Great Plains Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon from De Witt Gymnasium in Sioux Center, Iowa. Outscoring Dordt 23-9 in the second quarter, Dakota Wesleyan held on for the five-point win while four players reached double figures, and DWU extended its winning streak to seven games. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Tigers (10-2, 4-2 GPAC), shot 7-of-14 from 3-point range including two early makes from Isabel Ihnen and Rynn Osthus, which helped the Blue and Gray keep pace with DOR midway through the first period. Dordt maintained a narrow, 14-12, lead, eventually closed on a 7-2 run to end the opening stanza and led 21-14.

Matti Reiner knocked down another Tiger 3-pointer along with a pair of free throws from DWU freshman Lacey Sprakel  and Dakota Wesleyan regained the lead, 24-23, at the 5:43 mark of the second frame. Reiner, who has now reached double figures scoring in 11-of-12 outings this season, finished with 11 points while Sprakel tallied a season-high 13 points.

After Dordt responded with a 3-pointer of its own, Dakota Wesleyan ended the first half on a 9-4 run to carry the momentum into the lockeroom. Kaylee Kirk and Reiner knocked down a pair of jump shots while Aspen Hansen converted a layup off an assist from Kirk. A 5-foot-5 senior, Kirk notched a game-high 11 rebounds along with four assists as the Tigers outrebounded Dordt slightly, 43-38.

DWU carried a 37-30 advantage into halftime.

Ihnen, a sophomore guard from Lennox, S.D., opened the second half with yet another DWU 3-point basket while she finished 3-of-6 from beyond the arc along with a team-high 18 points. Meanwhile, Jada Campbell knocked down six-straight points halfway through the quarter, and DWU controlled a 45-39 lead with six minutes remaining in the third period.

Campbell continued the offensive momentum late in the quarter with a finish near the rim as the 6-foot-4 senior center registered 15 points and six rebounds. Not to be outdone Sprakel made consecutive layups after an offensive rebound and the Tigers led, 61-52, with 10 minutes remaining.

Hoping to make a push at a comeback, the Defenders (7-6, 2-5 GPAC) rattled of six of the first eight points to open the fourth quarter, though Dakota Wesleyan still led 63-58 with under seven minutes remaining. Hansen quieted the DOR comeback momentarily as she drained a 3-pointer off an assist from Ihnen while Reiner knocked down a pair of attempts from the free-throw line. 

Dakota Wesleyan converted 17 free throws in the outing including a pair of monstrous free throws from Kirk at the 1:05 mark, which granted the Tigers an 11-point, 76-65, lead. Regardless of a late jumper along several made free throws late by Dordt, DWU held on for the 80-75 win and collected its seventh-straight win.

UP NEXT 

The Tigers hit pause on conference play starting next week with several non-conference games beginning with NCAA Division I in-state opponent South Dakota State University at 7 p.m. on Wednesday from Frost Arena in Brookings, S.D.