Lincoln, Neb. – The Tigers dropped their season opener exhibition game 83-47 to D1 opponent Nebraska Cornhuskers. From start to finish the Tigers played their physical brand of basketball and competed with the Huskers. DWU fell in a 14-0 hole to start the game in the first five minutes but then went on to outscore the Huskers 21-18 in the next 15 minutes of play. Rylee Rosenquist showed the game and moment wasn't too big for her, leading all scorers with her 17 points to go with five boards and team game-high three assists.
Highlighted Player– Rylee Rosenquist – 17 points, five rebounds, three assists
Stat Leaders:
Points – Rylee Rosenquist (17)
Assists – Rylee Rosenquist (3)
Rebounds – Emma Yost (9)
Blocks – Anna Campbell & Emma Yost (1)
Steals – Five players (1)
BOX SCORE
Recap –
The Tigers took the court against the Cornhuskers and showed a little star-struck moment by trailing the Huskers 14-0 to open the game. DWU struggled during that span to defend and attack Nebraska's height on both ends of the court. That moment didn't last long, and they showed Husker nation what DWU brand of basketball was all about that. That is a tough, physical, suffocating brand of basketball. Morgan Edelman got the Tigers on the board going 1 for 2 from the free throw line, scoring the first point of the 2023-24 season for Dakota Wesleyan. Seven minutes into the first quarter is when Rylee Rosenquist buried a deep range shot to record the first made field goal of the game and season for the Tigers. A fired up Rosenquist wasn't done there and showed the fiery energy she showed all year last season as a true freshman by going on to record six more points in the half for nine points which led all scorers at halftime.
In the remaining 15 minutes of play the Tigers outscored the Huskers 21-18. DWU forced seven turnovers during that span and even despite the huge size advantage was all over the glass with their 22 rebounds (eight on the offensive glass). Dakota Wesleyan held Nebraska to just eight points in the second quarter to match the eight points of their own. DWU kept the Huskers off the scoreboard for the first three minutes of play in the quarter and showed no backing down. The Tigers continued their physical style of play all quarter, visibly frustrating the Nebraska players on both ends of the court. Dakota Wesleyan on the offensive side used good ball screens, hard dribble drives, and worked the ball around to find the highest percentage look. Both squads went an ice cold combined 0-15 from beyond the arc in the second quarter with the Cornhuskers being responsible for 10 of those shots.
Out of the half the adrenaline of the first half might have worn off a little with the Cornhuskers opening on a 8-0 run in the first three minutes to grab a 40-21 lead at the media timeout. Out of the timeout Isabel Ihnen recorded the first bucket of the second half with a tough, off-balanced fade away shot on the baseline. The Tigers continued to make it tough on the Cornhuskers, but the size disadvantage really started to show as they were getting second chance look after second chance look. Of the Nebraska 44 points to the midway point in the third quarter, 19 were off second chance points. The spark plug that is Rylee Rosenquist got the Tiger bench and crowd fired up with back-to-back buckets to cut into the Nebraska lead at the media timeout. On the second bucket Rosenquist cut to the basket and got a great feed from Yost on an offensive rebound and converted the and-one layup. Nebraska, however, closed out the remaining four minutes of play on a 14-2 run to hold a 62-32 lead after three quarters of play.
The Tigers kept their pressure and intensity up in the fourth quarter with their slim 11-10 advantage at the media timeout with four minutes left to play in the game. The Tigers were spreading it around on offense getting buckets from Edelman, Yost, Ihnen, and Maleighya Estes. Estes recorded her first bucket of the game on a strong one-on-one dribble drive to the rim. With two minutes left in the game, Abby Bramer checked in for her first collegiate varsity action and wasted no time recording her first bucket on a perfect back door cut. A couple possessions later it was Jaida Young who recorded her first collegiate bucket on a strong baseline drive and lay in. Nebraska would win the quarter 21-15 and take the win 83-47, but DWU had their best offensive quarter with the 15 points.
Head-to-Head (Nebraska)
- This is the first matchup between the Tigers and the Cornhuskers.
Up Next
- Dakota Wesleyan women's basketball returns to Mitchell to open their home schedule against Valley City State, Sunday, November 5th with tipoff at 3 p.m.