SIOUX CITY, Iowa – For the first time in 12 years, the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team played in an NAIA tournament game and the Tigers made it memorable Wednesday morning at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa.
The No. 10 Tigers entered the 2016 NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Championship as the No. 3 seed in the Liston Bracket. After storming out to a 14-point lead at the break, DWU withstood a furious rally from No. 6 seeded Haskell Indian Nations University, and pulled away late for a 75-64 win.
The win was a milestone for DWU sixth-year head coach Jason Christensen as it was the 100th of his career. Christensen trails only Kevin Lein, 113 wins, on the DWU women's basketball all-time list.
"That's pretty special," Christensen said. "I grew up watching Wesleyan basketball and this is my dream job."
The Tigers controlled the pace of play early on and built a 17-point lead in the opening minutes of the third quarter. Haskell did not go away and put together a 24-7 run to tie the game early the fourth quarter. The Tigers turned the ball over eight times in the third quarter, allowing Haskell back into the contest.
"When they made that run, I reminded the girls that we aren't even supposed to be here," Christensen said. "Nobody thought we would be here. Just settle down and enjoy the moment."
From there, the Tigers took over, closing the game on a 17-6 run led by the leadership of junior forward Erica Herrold (Dimock, S.D.). Herrold scored 10 points in the final quarter, including a tough 3-point play with 1:11 left on the clock to secure the win.
"We rely on her (Herrold) a lot," Christensen said. "She is a leader for us. We knew with their zone we would have to find her inside."
The early morning start did not affect the Tigers in the first half, as DWU shot 51.6 percent from the field before the break. DWU finished 26-of-54 from the field and 5-of-15 from deep, while hitting 18-of-24 free throws.
"You play in the big dance at 8:30 in the morning, it's a little different," Christensen said. "Biggest game of my life and I coached it at 8:30 in the morning."
Herrold led the way for DWU with a game-high 27 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Herrold was 2-of-4 from deep and a perfect 9-of-9 from the line. Sophomore forward Ashley Bray (Anoka, Minn.) was a force on the inside for DWU, scoring 13 and pulling down 11 rebounds for a double-double in her NAIA tournament debut. Bray added four steals and two blocks on defense for DWU.
Sophomore forward Amber Bray (Anoka, Minn.) was 5-of-6 from the field for 13 points, while junior forward Kristin Sabers (Mitchell, S.D.) added 10 points and two blocks off the bench. The Tigers outrebounded Haskell 36-31, while finishing with 16 assists, 21 turnovers, 12 steals and five blocks as a team.
The Indians were led by Tyler Sumpter with 19 points and eight rebounds, while Kelli Warrior added 18 points. Haskell shot 25-of-60 from the field, 4-of-17 from behind the 3-point line and 10-of-13 from the line. Haskell's season ends with a record of 23-7.
The Tigers are now 26-8, giving the team the third most wins in program history. DWU moves on to play Davenport University from Grand Rapids, Mich., in the second round at 8:30 a.m. Friday at the Tyson Events Center.
