SEWARD, Neb. – It was a battle of Zorr vs. Smith as the pair combined for 62 points in the showdown between the No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball team and Concordia University. However, Smith and Concordia came away with an 89-77 win over DWU in the Great Plains Athletic Conference matchup Saturday in Seward, Neb.
Concordia opened with a quick 9-2 run to take a commanding lead early in the game. But the Tigers (16-6, 12-5 GPAC) responded thanks to 3-pointers by Ace Zorr (Harrisburg, S.D.) and Sawyer Schultz (Emery, S.D.).
Zorr continued to work on the block as he scored at will to keep DWU close. Midway through the half, the Bulldogs (15-8, 12-6 GPAC) held an eight-point advantage. But the Tigers strung together another run, this time a 13-5 run that saw a Koln Oppold (Sioux Falls, S.D.) layup tie the game at 32.
Oppold began to find his rhythm as he scored six-straight points to pull the Tigers within three points at the halftime break.
Zorr scored the opening bucket of the second half, as Oppold nailed a 3-pointer to give DWU a 47-45 lead. The Bulldogs began draining shots from 3-point range as they went on a 9-0 run, thanks to all 3-point baskets to force a DWU timeout.
With just over 11 minutes to play, Concordia built its lead to as many as 17 points. However, Zorr made a layup and a free throw, while the DWU defense stifled the Bulldog offense to attempt a comeback. The Tigers clawed their way back after Teegan Evers (Huron, S.D.) scored four-straight points.
On the following possession, Nick Harden (Chicago, Ill.) made a 3-point play the old-fashioned way as he made his layup and was fouled. After his free throw, the Tigers trailed by just nine points.
Despite the heroic efforts, Concordia built its lead back to 14 points with just minutes remaining. DWU was unable to complete a comeback as they dropped their second-straight contest.
Zorr erupted for a career-high 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the field. He also added 14 rebounds off the bench to provide a spark. Oppold posted 17 points and six rebounds, while Harden chipped in 14 points, seven assists and three steals.
Despite shooting 80% from 3-point range at one point of the first half, the Tigers finished 33.3% from downtown. They also added 40 points in the paint and 34 total rebounds.
DWU concludes the regular season with a three-game home stand. First, a date with Dordt University at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Corn Palace.