YANKTON, S.D. – Riding an unprecedented 18-0 run to open the game, the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball program trammeled in-state rival Mount Marty University, 73-34, in Great Plains Athletic Conference Play on Thursday night from Cimpl Arena in Yankton, S.D. Dakota Wesleyan finished the night with a pair of players in double figures, and head coach Jason Christensen and company extended their regular-season winning streak to 10 games, including five-straight conference victories.
HOW IT HAPPENED
A plethora of finishes in the paint, along with free throws by senior point guard Kaylee Kirk pushed Dakota Wesleyan out to a quick, 9-0, advantage over Mount Marty midway through the first quarter. Jada Campbell and Aspen Hansen ensued with a pair of back-to-back layups while the Tiger (13-2, 5-2 GPAC) defense locked down as well and held MMU scoreless for nearly eight minutes of action. The Lancers (2-13, 1-7 GPAC) eventually halted the scoring drought; though not before a jump shot by senior Natalie Gottlob off a pass from Rynn Osthus brought the score to 22-7 in favor of DWU at the end of the frame.
The Blue and Gray pushed the advantage to a then game-high 23 points, 30-7, early in the second period after a converted basket by Isabel Ihnen and a layup from Lacey Sprakel. Sprakel, the 5-foot-10 freshman forward from Crofton, Neb., ended the night with nine points along with three rebounds, and the Blue and Gray continued to stretch the offensive momentum.
Meanwhile, the Dakota Wesleyan defense, which forced 12 turnovers and collected six steals in the game, continued to press the Mount Marty offense. Kirk notched one such steal late in the frame which led to a made basket by Matti Reiner as Reiner and DWU led 38-12 with just over a minute remaining until halftime. Reiner, who shot 5-of-6 from the field in the outing, led the Tigers at halftime in scoring with 10 points.
DWU maintained a 40-14 lead at halftime after shooting over 60% in the first half and holding Mount Marty to back-to-back seven-point outputs in the first two quarters.
To start the third quarter, both teams exchanged baskets before Dakota Wesleyan constructed a 10-3 run with under five minutes left in the stanza. Campbell, who tallied a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, finished off an offensive rebound while Gottlob converted once again. The Tigers consequently forced a Mount Marty timeout in the midst of the run and led 50-17 midway through the frame.
The Lancers, who built a short spurt of its own, answered with a jump shot and an ensuing made 3-pointer before a jump shot from Ihnen, who scored six points in the contest. With one period remaining though, DWU held a 27-point edge, 53-26, as the Tigers looked to close out the game.
DWU scored four of the first five field goals to open the final frame including a jumper from Kirk after an offensive board from Osthus. Sprakel followed with made free throws late down the stretch as Dakota Wesleyan converted 11-of-15 attempts from the charity stripe. Ultimately, Dakota Wesleyan held on for the convincing double-digit road victory, 73-34, after shooting 55.6% from the field.
Campbell led all scorers with 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting while Reiner also scored in double figures with 13 points. Kirk dished out a team-high six assists as DWU tallied 14 assists and outrebounded MMU thoroughly, 46-14.
UP NEXT
DWU returns to the court once again on the road as the Tigers welcome in the new year with a monstrous GPAC matchup versus #13 Northwestern College at 2 p.m. on Saturday from the Bultman Center in Orange City, Iowa.