Faith Van Holland converted a pair of free throws with three seconds left to give the No.5 Dordt University women's basketball team a 72-70 win over the University of Jamestown in a spirited GPAC contest played this afternoon at the De Witt Gym.
The win pushes the Defenders record to 10-0 in the conference, 16-0 overall, heading into a road game on Wednesday night (Jan.11) against Doane in Crete, Neb. Jamestown lost its second straight GPAC game and falls to 7-3 in the league, 12-4 overall.
Tied at 70, Van Holland was fouled after securing an offensive rebound and made both free throws to put the Defenders in front, 72-70, with three seconds left. Following timeouts by both teams, Jamestown inbounded the ball from mid-court to Hannah DeMars, who missed on a potential game-tying jumper from the free throw line to give Dordt the win.
Karly Gustafson led the Defenders with 19 points and 10 rebounds, registering her seventh double-double of the season. The senior scored 13 points in the second half after sitting much of the second quarter due to foul trouble.
Bailey Beckman netted 16 points and
Janie Schoonhoven provided 14 points and six rebounds.
Dordt overcame a tough shooting afternoon as the Defenders shot a season-low 40% from the field, 25% (5/20) from the three-point line.
Leading by seven (20-13) after the opening period, the Defenders were outscored 29-15 in the second quarter and trailed Jamestown 42-35 at the break, their largest deficit at the half this season. The Jimmies shot 60% in the second quarter and held Dordt scoreless for over five minutes after a Beckman three-pointer gave the hosts a 30-20 lead with 6:30 left in the first half. Jamestown proceeded to score the next 18 points, a run that ended with a
Hayden Heimensen free throw with 1:30 left in the half.
Jamestown had its biggest lead (47-39) after Audrey Rodakowski scored a lay-up in transition with 6:42 left in the third quarter. Still down seven (49-42), a rare five-point play began a 7-0 Dordt run to bring the Defenders back and tie the game at 49.
McKenna Klecker drained a corner three-pointer while Jamestown was called for a foul trying to fight through a screen. On the ensuing inbounds play, Van Holland hit a jumper from the elbow and following a defensive stop,
Macy Sievers scored on a put-back to tie it. Dordt scored the final six points of the quarter, four by Gustafson and two free throws from Heimensen, to put the hosts in front 55-52.
Scoring went back-and-forth early in the fourth quarter until Schoonhoven scored on back-to-back possessions to give Dordt a 67-61 lead with under five minutes left. Still up by six (68-62) moments later, Jamestown rallied with an 8-2 run and tied the game again at 70 following two free throws by Hannah DeMars with 27 seconds remaining, setting up the winning free throws from Van Holland.
By the Numbers...
- Dordt held a slight advantage (39-37) on the boards and a bigger edge on the offensive glass (14-6)
- the Defenders had advantages in both points off turnovers (20-5) and second chance points (17-6)
- Dordt continues to take care of the basketball, committing just six turnovers compared to 15 by Jamestown
- the Defenders have had under 10 turnovers in back-to-back games
- Beckman has scored in double figures in every game this season
- Jamestown shot 45% for the game, 27% (3/11) from the arc
- the Jimmies had the edge from the free throw line, going 19-for-22; Dordt converted 9/15
- Hannah DeMars led Jamestown with 23 points and 11 rebounds
- Kia Tower added 18 points, followed by Audrey Rodakowski with 11
- Dordt has a full, two-game lead heading into Wednesday night's clash vs Doane
