SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team took a trip to Sioux Falls to battle NCAA Division I opponent, South Dakota State University. DWU dropped the exhibition game, 77-46 Friday at the Sanford Pentagon.
The Jackrabbits kicked off the game with a 3-pointer on their opening possession followed by a layup on their next possession to take an early 5-0 lead.
Kynedi Cheeseman (Alexandria, S.D.) put the Tigers on the scoreboard as she was fouled on a layup attempt and made both free throws. After SDSU built a 9-2 advantage, Sarah Carr (Huron, S.D.) popped behind the 3-point line and knocked down the shot from downtown to pull within four points.
A few moments later, Cheeseman found Carr cutting to the basket as she was fouled. Carr knocked down both free throws to make it a 9-7 deficit with four minutes to play in the first quarter. Carr continued her streak of scoring on the next possession as she nailed another shot from beyond the arc.
In the opening moments of the second quarter, Cheeseman knocked down a 3-pointer to pull the Tigers within a point. However, the Jackrabbits answered with a 3-point shot of their own to regain a four-point advantage.
With seven minutes left in the first half, Jessica Mieras (Sioux Falls, S.D.) found herself open behind the arc again as she found nothing but net and cut the deficit to a point.
With under four minutes to play in the first half, Matti Reiner (Tripp, S.D.) joined the scoring as she hit a 3-point shot and made it a three-point game. SDSU responded with a pair of baskets to extend its' lead back to five points.
But, Mieras and Cheeseman made sure the Tigers stayed in the game with consecutive baskets to pull back within three points. Trailing by five points with 43 seconds left in the half, Kamryn Heinz (Ipswich, S.D.) made a layup and was fouled. She made the ensuing free throw to make it a 34-32 game at halftime with the Jackrabbits leading.
SDSU opened the second half on an 16-2 run to take its' largest lead of the game to that point heading to the media timeout.
The Tigers broke the run as Heinz found Makaela Karst (Plankinton, S.D.) behind the arc for a long 3-point shot. Following the Karst 3-point basket, the Jackrabbits went on another run, this time a 7-2 run to end the third quarter to hold a 64-39 lead.
The SDSU defense held the Tigers to just two points through most of the fourth quarter. However, Grace Imbery (Aberdeen, S.D.) nailed a 3-pointer with two minutes to play followed by a mid-range jumpshot. It was not enough as DWU fell in the exhibition contest.
Cheeseman led the Tigers with 11 points and a pair of assists. Heinz chipped in nine points, as Carr added eight points and a steal. DWU shot 36.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range in the contest.
The Tigers return to conference play versus Midland University at 4 p.m. tomorrow at the Corn Palace in Mitchell.
