Tigers host No. 9 Mustangs in GPAC showdown

MITCHELL, S.D. – Winners of four straight and eight of their last nine games, the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team looks to continue its hot streak against No. 9 Morningside College at 6 p.m. tomorrow from the Corn Palace.

The Game

 The Tigers are looking to continue their momentum having won four in a row. Dakota Wesleyan completed the season sweep of Hastings College by defeating the Broncos 79-62 on Saturday from Lynn Farrell Arena in Hastings, Neb.

 Junior guard Kaylee Kirk (Balaton, Minn.) continues to command the team after scoring a career-high 20 points, along with six rebounds and five assists in Saturday's road victory. Kirk currently leads the team in both assists and steals and is nationally ranked in both statistical categories. The Balaton, Minn., native is fifth in the country with 102 assists and is 10th nationally in steals with 53.

 The balanced play of Matti Reiner (Tripp, S.D.) continues to pace DWU on both ends of the court. She is second on the team in both scoring and rebounding. After finishing 7-of-10 from the field and scoring 17 points on Saturday, Reiner is averaging 13.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

 Jada Campbell (Alexandria, S.D.) is currently third on the team in scoring and is leading the Tigers in both rebounding and double-doubles. Following an 11-point, 10-rebound performance on Saturday, Campbell now has three double-doubles on the season and is averaging 11.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per outing. Defensively, the 6-foot-4 junior is second in the conference and is 15th nationally in total blocks with 31.

The Coaches

 Jason Christensen (Dakota Wesleyan University '98) is in his 11th season with the DWU women's basketball squad and has coached a resounding 12 NAIA All-Americans since he took over the program at the start of 2010-11 season.

 Jamie Sale is in his 18th season as the Morningside women's head basketball coach and has guided the Mustangs to 16 consecutive NAIA National Tournament appearances.

The Series

 The all-time series has been controlled by Morningside. The Mustangs hold a 30-9 record in games played between the two schools. Morningside won 78-53 in the first matchup earlier this season in Sioux City, Iowa.

 Scouting the Morningside Mustangs

 Morningside boasts a 19-2 overall record and is sitting at No. 9 in the country. The Mustangs are led by their strong play on both ends of the court. They lead the country in steals with 298 and are second nationally in total scoring offense with 1,695 points.

 Sierra Mitchell paces the offense. She leads the country in total 3-pointers made at 85 and is third nationally in scoring with 394 points on the season. The 5-foot-6 guard is averaging 18.8 points per outing and is shooting 42.1% from beyond the arc.

 For fans not able to attend the game, you can stream the game online with stats at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/dwu/. You can also listen to Tim Smith and Bob Sprang with the call at 105.9 FM or online at kmit.com.