(RV) TIGERS DEFENSE PUSHES THEM PAST (RV) RAIDERS IN 70-61 WIN

Photo Credit: Sophia Barlitt
Photo Credit: Sophia Barlitt

Team Stats

January 24, 2024

Mitchell, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan picked up their ninth conference win with their 70-61 victory over (RV) Northwestern. It was all defense in this one as the Tigers held NWC under 10 points in the first and third quarter. Dakota Wesleyan scored 16 points off the Red Raiders 16 turnovers and won the rebound battle 36-28. Morgan Edelman recorded her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Taliyah Hayes led the Tigers in scoring with 15 in her first career start at the Corn Palace.  Emma Yost and Isabel Ihnen were also both in double digits for points.

Highlighted Player– Morgan Edelman ~ 13 points  10 rebounds  3 assists  1 block

Stat Leaders:

Points – Taliyah Hayes (15)

Assists – Morgan Edelman (3)

Rebounds – Morgan Edelman (10)

Blocks – Emma Yost (2)

Steals – Taliyah Hayes (2)

Recap –

The Tigers had the clamps on in the first quarter holding the Red Raiders to just nine points on only two made field goals, while the other four points came from the free throw line. Dakota Wesleyan forced four turnovers in the quarter and held the Raiders to just a 20% field goal percentage. On the end of the court DWU was sharing and distributing the ball and using a scoring by committee approach. The second quarter saw Northwestern start to find a rhythm on offense and see some shots fall, winning the quarter by a slim 19-17 margin, resulting in a 35-28 halftime lead for DWU. Hayes and Yost both scored six points in the quarter to lead the Tigers. DWU did most of their damage on second chance points and crashing the offensive glass with their six in the quarter alone. Yost was responsible for four of the six and turned each rebound into points for DWU.

DWU made the adjustments at halftime and had a repeat of quarter one, holding the Raiders to nine points yet again. Dakota Wesleyan, despite the defensive stand for the whole quarter, was not able to pull away due to netting just 11 points in the quarter, giving them a 46-37 lead heading to the fourth. The third quarter was a block party for the Tiger defense as Yost recorded two while Edelman and Anna Campbell each had one. Again, it was the Tigers on the glass that kept Northwestern on the defensive end of the court. Edelman grabbed six rebounds (3 offensive) in the quarter alone.

The fourth quarter saw both offenses catch their stride with each respective team pouring in 24 points in the quarter.  Large part of this was a heavy dose of fouling down the stretch that sent DWU to the line 16 times (13 made) and NWC to the line 12 times (8 made). Edelman stepped up for her team big in the fourth quarter scoring a quarter high 10 points while going 6-6 at the free throw line to complete her double double.  Dakota Wesleyan did run into foul trouble down the stretch losing Shalayne Nagel and Anna Campbell who both fouled out of the game. The Tiger staff called to Mya Wilson off the bench who has provided tough/gritty defense all year and she did just that to help the Tigers hold onto the 70-61 win.

Head-to-Head (Northwestern)

  • The Tigers are now 26-42 all-time against the Raiders with tonight's win.
  • DWU won all three matchups last season against NWC.
  • Dakota Wesleyan is 7-3 in the last 10 matchups with Northwestern.

Up Next

  • Dakota Wesleyan women's basketball returns to the palace for a matchup with Midland Sunday, January 28th with tipoff at 2:00 p.m. This will also be the annual 'Pink the Palace' Game.