MITCHELL, S.D. – It was a warm welcome home for the No. 3 Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team as they crushed Great Plains Athletic Conference foe Midland University 85-50 Saturday at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.
For the second straight game, the Tigers (8-0, 2-0 GPAC) showed why they are the No. 3-ranked team in the NAIA. DWU had 54 points in the paint compared to just 22 by Midland (5-2, 0-2 GPAC), while the Tigers' bench almost doubled the Warriors' bench in points, 38-20. Hot shooting out of the gates seemed to kick-start the Tiger offense as they shot 50 percent from the field in the first quarter. The Tigers never looked back as they finished 56 percent from the field, while their stingy defense held the Warriors to just 30 percent shooting.
Senior forward Erica Herrold (Dimock, S.D.) led the way for the Tigers with 15 points and five rebounds. Sophomore guard Rylie Osthus (De Smet, S.D.) had 10 points and led the team with six assists, while junior forward Amber Bray (Anoka, Minn.) tallied 10 points.
The bench came in clutch again for the Tigers who were led by freshman forward Sarah Carr (Huron, S.D.) with 13 points and shot 50 percent from the field. Freshman guard Kynedi Cheeseman (Alexandria, S.D.) finished the game with 11 points, and senior forward Kristin Sabers (Mitchell, S.D.) racked up nine points to round out the bench scoring. Sabers was honored during halftime of the men's game after recording her 1,000th career point last season in the NAIA National Tournament against Goshen College.
The Tigers look to continue their winning ways against in-state foe Mount Marty College at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Yankton, S.D.