JAMESTOWN, N.D. – With 34 seconds left in the fourth overtime, Meghan Travis (Minneota, Minn.) nailed a 3-point shot to give the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team a six-point lead. DWU went on to take the overtime thriller, 98-92 in Great Plains Athletic Conference action Monday in Jamestown, N.D.
Sarah Carr (Huron, S.D.) gave the Tigers an early 7-1 lead thanks to a 3-point basket from the top of the key. On the next possession, Makaela Karst (Plankinton, S.D.) notched a two-point shot to push the lead to eight points.
After the Jimmies (12-14, 6-12 GPAC) pulled within seven points, Carr nailed a pair of free throws to extend the Tiger lead back to nine points at the end of the first quarter.
Carr came out shooting in the second quarter as she scored the first five points for the Tigers (23-3, 16-3 GPAC). Midway through the second quarter, Karst notched another shot to give DWU a double-digit lead.
Madison Mathews (Draper, S.D.) and Kaylee Kirk (Balaton, Minn.) scored for the Tigers on the next two possessions to give them a 13-point lead. However, Jamestown closed the half on a 10-0 run to make it a 36-33 game at halftime.
Kynedi Cheeseman (Alexandria, S.D.) scored out of the gate in third quarter. Moments later, Mathews drove the lane and scored to answer a Jimmie bucket. Both teams struggled down the stretch offensively in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, DWU trailed 61-58 until the Tigers strung together a 6-0 run to take a three-point lead. However, the Jimmies responded with a 3-pointer of their own to tie the score at 64. Jamestown took a two-point lead with under a second remaining in the game. Osthus inbounded the ball to Carr who converted on the layup to force overtime.
Carr got things going early in the extra frame with a basket to give DWU a 68-66 lead. With Jamestown leading by two points, Karst cut to the basket for an easy layup to tie the game at 72. The Jimmies failed to convert on their end and both teams went into double overtime tied at 72.
The Jimmies took the lead early in the second overtime, but Cheeseman nailed a jumper and tallied two free throws to put DWU in front by one point. Jamestown converted one free throw to tie the game at 77 and send the game into the third overtime.
The Jimmies held an 82-79 lead following a 3-pointer. But, Sydney Halling (Harrisburg, S.D.) banked in a 3-point shot to tie the game and extend it to a fourth overtime.
With three minutes left in the fourth overtime, Osthus stole the ball and went coast-to-coast for the layup and was fouled. After missing the free throw, Travis ripped down an offensive rebound and passed it to Osthus for another layup to push the Tiger lead to 88-84.
Jamestown answered back with a 3-point basket to cut the DWU lead to one. On the next possession, Travis connected on a long 3-pointer to take a commanding 93-89 lead with 34 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime to send the Tigers to a heart pounding victory.
Carr tallied a career-high 38 points and 17 rebounds, while Cheeseman recorded 19 points, six assists, and six rebounds. DWU shot 87 percent from the free-throw line and notched 60 rebounds. With three conference games remaining, the Tigers are in first place in the GPAC with a conference record of 16-3.
DWU will return home to battle in-state rival Mount Marty College at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Corn Palace.