Women’s basketball edged by Jimmies in GPAC play

Jamestown, N.D. –  Despite multiple players reaching double figures, the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team fell 64-61 to conference foe University of Jamestown in Great Plains Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon in Jamestown. N.D.

 Jada Campbell (Alexandria, S.D.) secured the first three baskets for Dakota Wesleyan as UJ marched to a 12-6 lead midway through the first period. Campbell converted off assists from Haidyn Pitsch (Prior Lake, Minn.) and Haylee Mork (Aberdeen, S.D.). 

 Kaylee Kirk (Balaton, Minn.) and Matti Reiner (Tripp, S.D.) recorded buckets late in the opening quarter, however, the Jimmies (5-3, 3-3 GPAC) ended the period on a 9-2 run taking a 22-13 advantage.

 The Jamestown lead reached 13 midway through the second quarter, though the Tigers (3-3, 1-3 GPAC) halted the momentum piecing together a 15-5 run heading into halftime. A 3-pointer by Korynn Clason (Cambridge, Neb.) along with jumpers by Pitsch and Campbell sparked the run as DWU trailed by one point, 38-37 heading into the break.

 A Reiner defensive rebound and ensuing assist to Pitsch in the lane gave DWU a 39-38 margin in the early moments of the second half. Both teams traded the advantage until a 3-pointer by Pitsch, one of six for the Tigers in the contest, forced a UJ timeout trailing 45-43 at the 6:45 mark in the third quarter. Multiple assists down the stretch guided Dakota Wesleyan to a 53-48 lead entering the final period.

 In the fourth quarter, the lead continued to flip as neither team capitalized on the momentum. Another jumper from Reiner off a Campbell assist brought DWU to within one point, trailing 58-57 with just under five minutes left. Later in the period, Kirk's only basket of the contest knotted the score at 61-61 as the game approached three-and-half minutes. A late 3-pointer by the Jimmies hindered the Tiger comeback as Dakota Wesleyan came up short on the road.

 Pitsch paced DWU with her sixth double-figure outing of the season posting 18 points and eight rebounds. Campbell also surpassed double figures tallying a season-high 15 points to go along with nine boards. The Tigers recorded 14 assists and 10 steals in the road loss and outrebounded Jamestown 38-35.

 The Tigers return to the court next versus No. 24 Morningside College at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday in Sioux City, Iowa.