Bailey Beckman scored a game-high 23 points in leading the No.5 Dordt University women's basketball team to a 75-65 win over #11 Dakota Wesleyan in another match-up between ranked teams played today at the DeWitt Gym.
Dordt stays unbeaten and improves to 7-0 in the GPAC, 12-0 overall; DWU falls to 4-3 in the conference, 7-3 overall.Â
Beckman scored 13 of her 23 points in the first quarter and registered her third 20-point game of the season.
Janie Schoonhoven netted 12 points, missing just two shots from the field, and pulled down seven rebounds.
Macy Sievers added 12 points and led the Defenders in both rebounding (8) and assists (8) while
Faith Van Holland scored a career-best 10 points, making several clutch baskets in the second half.Â
Another fast start put the Defenders in front 12-2, paced by Beckman who scored seven points in the opening surge by the hosts. DWU responded with an 11-2 run of its own later to get the Tigers within three (24-21) by the quarters end.Â
A basket by Tigers' post player Jada Campbell as the second quarter began put DWU within one but Dordt was able to hold the lead for the rest of the half as the teams played even and traded baskets for the next 9-plus minutes.Â
With Dordt in front 42-38 at halftime, Dakota Wesleyan went on its best run of the game, outscoring the hosts 11-2 to take a 49-44 lead after two free throws by Isabel Ihnen with 6:24 left in the third. Four straight points by Beckman brought Dordt back to within one (49-48) and moments later,
Macey Nielson and Beckman hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Defenders back the lead for good, 54-51. Defense dominated play over the final 3-plus minutes as the teams combined for just four points, each scoring one basket, to put the Defenders lead at 56-53 at the end of the third.
The Defenders put the game away with a 12-2 run at the start of the fourth quarter, finished off with a Schoonhoven lay-up, to give the hosts their largest lead (68-55) with 5:42 left. Dordt buckled down defensively once again as they limited DWU to just two points over the four minute stretch. DWU closed to within five (70-65) but Dordt scored the final five points of the game to ensure
Bill Harmsen would earn his 100th win as the Defenders head coach.
By The Numbers:
- Dordt shot 49% for the game, 46% (11-for-24) from the 3-point line
- this was the third time the Defenders made 10+ 3-pointers in a game this season
- Dordt outrebounded DWU 37-27 and limited the Tigers to six on the offensive glass, well below their season average
- Beckman continued her streak and has scored in double figures in every game this season
- DWU shot 43% for the game, 33% (4/12) from the 3-point line
- Matti Reiner led the Tigers with 15 points, one of three DWU players in double figures
- Isabel Ihnen (14pts) and Jada Campbell (13pts) were also in double figures; Campbell was one rebound shy of a double-double
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