The No.4 Dordt University women's basketball team picked up their 20th win of the season with an 81-75 overtime road victory against Dakota Wesleyan in a conference match-up played tonight in Mitchell, S.D.

The Defenders improve to 14-1 in the conference, 20-1 overall, and stay a full two games in front of Briar Cliff in the league standings. 

Bailey Beckman poured in a game-high 26 points and Karly Gustafson contributed 20 points and seven rebounds to lead the Defenders. Janie Schoonhoven scored 16 points and pulled down six rebounds to give head coach Bill Harmsen's squad three players in double figures. 

With Dordt leading by four (59-55) following a free throw by Gustafson with 1:10 left in regulation, DWU scored the last four points to send the game into overtime tied at 59. Morgan Edelman converted two free throws and Matti Reiner made a lay-up just ahead of the final buzzer, much to the delight of the home crowd. 

Another Reiner basket at the start of the overtime period gave DWU their first lead (61-59) since late in the first quarter. Dordt, however, responded by scoring the next six points on baskets by Gustafson and Beckman and two free throws from Faith Van Holland to take the lead back for good (65-61). 

Dord's lead extended to as much as seven and never was closer than four during the overtime. The Defenders played nearly flawless basketball on the offensive end over the final five minutes, going 5-for-6 from the field and converting on 12-of-13 free throw attempts while not committing a turnover.

Points were hard to come by early as both teams went scoreless over the first four-plus minutes until McKenna Klecker made a free throw line jumper to put Dordt in front 2-0. From there, the teams traded baskets during the final five minutes of the period as the Defenders went ahead 12-11 on a basket by Gustafson at quarters end. 

Dordt proceeded to score the first eight points of the second quarter and went ahead by nine (20-11) on a three-pointer from Beckman. Another Defender basket, this time by Schoonhoven, gave Dordt its largest lead (24-14) with six minutes left in the first half. The Defenders lead fluctuated from 4-8 points for the rest of the half as the visitors took a 34-30 advantage into the locker room.

A couple of Beckman three-pointers early in the third quarter pushed the Defenders lead back up to eight. Later, a three-point play by Gustafson put Dordt in front 49-40 but the host Tigers managed to close the gap to six (51-45) by quarters end, setting up a tight fourth quarter and overtime period.

By the Numbers...

• Dordt shot 50% (29/58) compared to 41% by DWU
• the Defenders made just four three-point shots (3 by Beckman), tied for the second lowest total this season
• DWU made five three-pointers, shooting 36% from the arc
• both teams found success at the foul line
  • Dordt - 19/22
  • DWU - 18/20
• the Defenders were outrebounded for just the second this season (32-36)
• turnovers were even at 11
• Gustafson moved into fourth place all-time with1,327 career points
  • she passed both Kate DuMez (1,315pts) and Jill Bousema (1,318pts)
  • Lisa Roos, with 1,414 points, is third in career scoring

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