MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team has been making history all season, and with its win over Hastings College Saturday at the Corn Palace, the Tigers earned the right to host the first round of the Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament for the first time since 2003-04.
The No. 14 Tigers continued their late season push towards the playoffs by edging the No. 20 Broncos 70-67. With the win and a loss by No. 13 Concordia University, DWU finished the season tied for second place in the GPAC with No. 19 Mount Marty College. The Lancers took the tiebreaker over the Tigers, by way of a win over first-place Morningside College, the second ranked team in the nation.
DWU enters the GPAC tournament as the No. 3 seed and will welcome Hastings back to the Corn Palace for another clash, this time in the league playoffs. DWU has defeated Hastings College twice this season. The Tigers have made a strong case for an at-large berth in the NAIA National Tournament, but could secure an automatic bid with a strong run in the GPAC tournament. DWU enters the postseason winners of seven of eight, 23-7 overall and 15-7 in the GPAC.
The Broncos did not make things easy for DWU, as the teams traded big shots in the second half and DWU rallied from a fourth-quarter deficit to take the game. DWU trailed by six points 30 seconds in the fourth, but a 9-2 run put DWU back on top.
With the Tigers and Broncos exchanging the lead late, the deciding sequence came with a made jumper by DWU junior forward Kristin Sabers (Mitchell, S.D.), who had been shut down most of the contest. Sabers took the ball into the lane and scored to put DWU ahead 65-63 with 23 seconds to go. On the ensuing possession, DWU forced a turnover to get the ball back. Sabers hit three free throws down the stretch and blocked a last-second 3-pointer from Hastings to put the game on ice.
The Tigers were led by junior forward Erica Herrold with 16 points and six rebounds. Sophomore Amber Bray (Anoka, Minn.) finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, while her twin sister Ashley Bray added 12 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double.
The Tigers shot 22-of-50 from the field, 8-of-17 from deep and 18-of-23 from the line, while outrebounding Hastings 37-34.
Teeka Thompson kept Hastings close with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Abby Jackson finished with 17 points. Hastings shot 25-of-68 from the field, 8-of-21 from deep and 9-of-18 from the line.
The Tigers and Broncos meet for the third time this season in the first round of the GPAC tournament at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Corn Palace.
