MITCHELL, S.D. – In a quite competitive series that has spilled over to the postseason throughout the years, the (RV) Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team handled conference challenger (RV) Concordia University for the second time in five days, this time in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) quarterfinals by a score of 68-52 on Wednesday from the Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D. Jada Campbell led all players with 20 points as four DWU players reached double figures and 12-year veteran head coach Jason Christensen collected his 250th-career victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The score continued to flip-flop throughout a majority of the opening quarter as the Tigers (24-7, 15-7 GPAC) worked a 7-6 lead at the 4:31 mark of the stanza. Senior point guard Kaylee Kirk sparked the Blue and Gray offensively with a made 3-pointer off a dish from Rynn Osthus. Meanwhile, an assist by Isabel Ihnen along with a converted jump shot by Matti Reiner channeled the early Dakota Wesleyan momentum.
DWU shot a staggering 7-of-13 (53.8%) from beyond the arc, however, Concordia won the first frame by a score of 17-12. Another 3-pointer by Kirk, who tallied 13 points and six assists, put the Tigers ahead momentarily at 12-11, though CUNE rattled off the final six points of the period.
The Bulldogs (16-13, 13-9 GPAC) opened the second frame with an offensive rebound and ensuing layup as DWU was forced to burn a timeout at the 8:02 mark trailing 21-18. A 3-pointer by Aspen Hansen helped Dakota Wesleyan reclaim the lead while the Tigers managed a slight, 28-25 edge with 2:34 remaining until halftime.
A jump shot in the paint by Jada Campbell and free throws down the stretch by Hansen granted DWU a four-point advantage at the intermission. Campbell, who shot 9-of-13 in the outing, registered six rebounds along with her game-high in scoring, and DWU favored a 31-27 lead at the intermission.
After CUNE opened the second half with a basket of its own, Christensen's offense conducted an 8-2 run and forced the Bulldogs to call a timeout at the 5:47 mark of the third quarter. DWU held a then game-high 39-29 benefit thanks to a triple from Hansen. Natalie Gottlob ensued with a defensive block which triggered a made field goal in transition by Kirk.
The Tiger advantage reached 12 points at 45-33 moments later, though Concordia pieced together its own offensive spark to conclude the third stanza. The Bulldogs, led in scoring by Sadie Powell and Taysha Rushton with 13 points each, capitalized on multiple free throws and a successful 3-pointer. Regardless, Dakota Wesleyan held a 51-43 advantage with 10 minutes to play.
After another 3-pointer off the release from Ihnen to open the fourth quarter, Campbell, the 6-foot-4 center, took over the fourth quarter. The Alexandria, S.D., native converted on a string of four possessions in the period which helped the Tigers fend off any comeback by CUNE. Dakota Wesleyan clinched the 68-52 home victory in front of an electric crowd to punch its ticket to the GPAC semifinals, the program's first trip to the second round of the conference tournament since the 2018-19 campaign as DWU went on to reach the championship game.
Hansen and Reiner also scored in double-digits as the Tigers shot 49% in the game and 13-of-18 (72.2%) from the charity stripe. Reiner, meanwhile also secured a game-high 11 boards for the double-double, and Dakota Wesleyan outrebounded the Bulldogs, 41-21. Ihnen matched Kirk with six assists while as an offensive unit the Tigers tallied 22 total assists.
UP NEXT
DWU welcomes a matchup versus conference opponent Dordt University in the GPAC semifinals, a series that saw both programs win on the road during the 2021-22 regular season, at 3 p.m. on Saturday from De Witt Gymnasium in Sioux Center, Iowa.
