Crete, Neb. – A late defensive steal with :23.0 seconds left assisted the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball program to an 86-82 road victory over conference opponent Doane University on Saturday afternoon from Butler Gymnasium in Crete, Neb. A trio of Dakota Wesleyan players eclipsed double-figures including 42 combined points from Jada Campbell and Matti Reiner as DWU secured its ninth road win of the 2021-22 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Reiner, the junior forward who shot 8-of-16 from the floor for a team-high 23 points and collected 11 rebounds, scored four of the first six points for Dakota Wesleyan as DWU carried a one-point, 8-7, lead midway through the first quarter. Reiner knocked down a pair of free throws and followed with a layup in the paint while Lacey Sprakel answered with a basket of her own near the rim.
The Tigers (17-5, 9-5 GPAC) pushed the advantage to a then game-high four points, 11-7, after an old-fashioned 3-point basket by Kaylee Kirk with just over four minutes remaining in the opening frame. Yet, the score remained tight as Doane responded with a layup and 3-pointer. Dakota Wesleyan held a slight 18-16 edge to start the second quarter while DOA ended the contest 6-of-18 from beyond the arc.
To start the second quarter, DWU pieced together a 9-5 spurt that lasted nearly four minutes of action and granted the Blue and Gray a 27-21 lead over the Tigers (9-13, 3-11 GPAC) of Doane at the 6:11 mark. Isabel Ihnen, who tallied 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting, knocked down a monstrous 3-pointer along with a layup in transition by Morgan Edelman. Regardless of the Dakota Wesleyan run and momentum, the score sat within striking distance down the stretch of the frame.
The Tigers ultimately controlled the second quarter, 23-22, despite DOA evening the score at 38-38 with just over 30 seconds to play until halftime. Campbell finished at the rim while Ihnen buried 1-of-4 made 3-pointers to conclude the first half. Campbell, the 6-foot-4 senior center, registered 19 points on eight made field goals.
Dakota Wesleyan, who shot 50% from the floor in the first half, held a 41-38 advantage at the break.
Head coach Jason Christensen's unit, looking to create some separation, opened the third quarter on a furious 13-2 run that lasted nearly three minutes and granted DWU a 14-point advantage with under five minutes left in the stanza. DOA, meanwhile, trimmed the lead back down to single digits, 68-59, at the end of the third frame as Doane ended the period on a 15-10 push. A jumper by Campbell and multiple free throws by DWU helped stint the Doane momentum while Dakota Wesleyan shot 15-of-17 from the charity stripe on the afternoon.
Assists down low by Kirk and Osthus to start the final 10 minutes of action kept the Tiger lead at double digits before a 30-second timeout midway through the frame with the Blue and Gray leading 76-65. Doane embarked on an 12-5 run over the next three minutes to pull within single digits, 81-77. Reiner responded with a pair of free throws with just over a minute to play to keep the Tigers of Doane at arm's length, momentarily.
Doane nearly forced the game to overtime with a late 3-pointer to pull within one, however, a steal by Aspen Hansen and two final conversions at the free-throw line by Kirk denied the DOA comeback. Dakota Wesleyan held on for the 86-82 road win as DWU dished out 20 assists and secured 41 rebounds in the winning effort.
UP NEXT
Dakota Wesleyan returns to the court next with a pivotal matchup against conference foe Dordt University as the Tigers look to complete the season sweep of the Defenders at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening from the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.