SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Four players eclipsed double figures, and the Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball program clawed its way to a pivotal road victory, 63-56, over conference challenger (RV) Briar Cliff University on Saturday afternoon from the Newman Flanagan Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Dakota Wesleyan, who outscored Briar Cliff 16-12 in the fourth quarter, knocked down a plethora of free throws with under a minute to play to secure its 10th road victory of the 2021-22 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams exchanged the lead in the opening five minute of action as DWU trailed, 8-6, midway through the first period. The Briar Cliff advantage reached four points before a pair of free throws from Matti Reiner and a field goal by Jada Campbell.
The Tigers (18-6, 10-6 GPAC) shot an impressive 18-of-20 (90%) from the charity stripe on the afternoon while the Blue and Gray attempted to stay within reach late in the frame. Reiner, who tallied 15 points along with eight rebounds, converted with under a minute to play, and the score sat knotted at 14-14 at the end of the first stanza.
Once again, each squad continued to swap leads over the entirety of the second quarter as Lacey Sprakel netted four-straight points near the 6:26 mark. The Dakota Wesleyan freshman converted off an assist from Rynn Osthus and followed with a pair of free throws to grant the Tigers a 20-19 edge.
Unphased, the Chargers (14-9, 10-6 GPAC) marched back with a pair of baskets to take a short-lived 23-22 advantage before an assist from Aspen Hansen led to a field goal by Campbell. Campbell registered 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting while DWU controlled the second frame, 12-11, and balanced a 26-25 advantage over Briar Cliff at the intermission.
Dakota Wesleyan constructed a then game-high six-point advantage after halftime and led, 36-30, at the 7:03 mark of the third quarter. Isabel Ihnen, who tallied 14 points, drained a pair of 3-pointers as the sophomore guard scored eight-straight points to help the Tigers gather the momentum midway through the frame.
The Chargers, however, responded on a 12-6 run and evened the game at 42-42 with just over a minute to play in the period. An old-fashioned 3-point play by Kaylee Kirk stunted the BCU spurt, and DWU carried a narrow 47-44 lead into the final 10 minutes of action.
Kirk, the senior point guard, kickstarted the final stanza with two more free throws and a dish to Reiner as the Tigers extended its lead to seven points. Briar Cliff, looking to make a late comeback, trimmed the deficit to two points with just over six minutes to play. Though, Dakota Wesleyan ended the contest on a 10-5 run and sealed the 63-56 road victory over BCU.
Defensively, the Tigers held the Chargers to 32.8% from the floor and 28.6% from the 3-point line despite being outrebounded, 35-33. Four players notched 5-or-more rebounds including Kirk who registered 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.
UP NEXT
Head coach Jason Christensen and the Tigers open a three-game homestand beginning with University of Jamestown at 6 p.m. on Wednesday from the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.