HONOLULU, Hawaii – The Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team completed the two-game sweep of NCAA Division II opponents on the week with a double-digit, 70-57, victory over Chaminade University – Honolulu Friday afternoon from McCabe Gymnasium in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dakota Wesleyan scored 19 points off turnovers and led for nearly 36 minutes of action en route to the non-conference win.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Senior duo Jada Campbell and Natalie Gottlob paced Dakota Wesleyan out to a five-point lead, 22-17, at the end of the first quarter over Chaminade. Campbell, the 6-foot-4 center from Alexandria, S.D., opened the scoring for DWU followed by a made 3-pointer from Isabel Ihnen off the assist from Matti Reiner giving Dakota Wesleyan the initial advantage. Gottlob continued the run with multiple layups midway through the period as she ended the opening frame with 10 points, and the Tigers (6-2) shot 56.3% from the floor in the first period.
The Silverswords (1-3) also rolled out to a hot start shooting above 50% from the floor through the first quarter and trimmed the Blue and Gray lead to three, 28-25, early in the second frame. A pair of free throws by Reiner and a steal and layup by junior guard Rynn Osthus assisted Dakota Wesleyan in retaining the momentum.
DWU locked down defensively over the final six minutes of the first half holding CUH scoreless while piecing together a 12-0 run. Senior point guard Kaylee Kirk notched a steal followed by consecutive layups from Reiner and Tiger freshman Lacey Sprakel, and DWU controlled a 37-25 lead late in the period. Reiner, who led all scorers with 11 points at the intermission, commenced the first half with a pair of makes from the free-throw line.
Dakota Wesleyan held a 40-25 lead at halftime and converted 14-of-28 field goals in the first 20 minutes.
Both offenses attempted to find a spark to begin the second half before the Silverswords tallied five-straight points, narrowing the Tiger lead to 40-30 initially in the third quarter. DWU sophomore guard Ihnen broke up any further chance for a UCH offensive push with a pair of free throws, as the Tigers knocked down 20-of-28 from the charity stripe and carried a 48-34 advantage with four minutes remaining in the quarter.
Reiner knocked down a triple followed by made free throws from Gottlob, who finished the day with a season-high 14 points, and DWU concluded the third quarter with a 10-point lead. Despite being slightly outscored 20-15 in the third period, Dakota Wesleyan maintained a 55-45 lead as the game entered the final 10 minutes of action.
Chaminade kicked off the fourth quarter with the first four points of the period as both teams struggled on the offensive end of the court early. Leading 55-49 with just over seven minutes remaining, Dakota Wesleyan rattled off the next seven points though, and regained a double-digit advantage, 62-51 midway through the final frame. Sprakel helped spark the momentum shift with four of her nine points.
Dakota Wesleyan eventually closed out the non-conference matchup, securing the double-digit, 70-57, win over NCAA Division II Chaminade.
Three Tigers finished in double figures led by Reiner and Gottlob with 18 and 14 points while Osthus chipped in 10 points, three assists and two steals. Kirk added a team-high three steals along with eight rebounds as DWU outrebounded the Silverswords 41-34.
UP NEXT
Dakota Wesleyan returns home for a three-game home stand beginning with GPAC opponent Hastings College at 5 p.m. next Friday from the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.