No.2 Dordt University rallied from an 18-point, first-half deficit to defeat (RV) Northwestern 81-78 in a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) women's basketball match-up played tonight at the De Witt Gymnasium.
The Defenders stay unbeaten and improve to 4-0 in the conference, 9-0 overall; Northwestern drops to 2-2 in the conference, 5-3 overall.
Gracie Schoonhoven poured in a career-high 20 points, scoring six of the final seven points for the second-ranked Defenders, including a pair of free throws with six seconds left to put her team up by three.
Bailey Beckman contributed 20 points as well, knocking down a trio of three-pointers, to become the Defenders career leader in three-pointers made with 194.
Tied at 60 at the end of the third quarter,
Macy Sievers and
Macey Nielson reigned down consecutive three-pointers to finish off a 15-6 run to give the Defenders their largest lead (74-66) with five minutes left in the final period. Northwestern countered with a 9-0 run, holding the Defenders scoreless for nearly two minutes, to retake the lead (75-74) after a three-pointer from Hali Anderson with 3:05 left.
The lead traded sides four times over the next two minutes, until, a
Gracie Schoonhoven lay-up put the hosts up for good, 78-77, with under 90 seconds to go. A Beckman free throw pushed the lead to two after Dordt got a defensive stop but Northwestern's Molly Schany drew a foul and also made 1-of-2 free throws to bring the Defenders lead down to one, 79-78, with 16 seconds left. A turnover by the Defenders led to another possession for Northwestern but
Gracie Schoonhoven stole the in-bounds pass, was fouled and made a pair of free throws for a three-point lead. The Red Raiders final attempt to tie the score fell short as Dordt held on for the win.
Karly Gustafson ended one rebound shy of another double-double, contributing 15 points and nine rebounds, before fouling out during the final minute.
Janie Schoonhoven pulled down 11 rebounds to go with eight points and
Macy Sievers filled up the box score with nine points, six rebounds and six assists.
Dordt overcame a cold shooting night early as the Defenders fell behind by 11 (24-13) after the first quarter. A 9-2 run at the start of the second quarter put Northwestern in front 33-15, its largest lead of the game, on a basket by Hali Anderson at the 7-minute mark. Dordt came back with an 8-2 run, using its press group to force the Red Raiders into several turnovers, and brought the lead down to 12 moments later. A Beckman three-pointer cut the Northwestern lead to eight by halftime, 44-36.
The Defenders scored the first nine points of the third quarter, completing a 12-0 run in total, to take their first lead, 45-44, after a basket by
Janie Schoonhoven. The score was tied again at 47 and 49 as the teams traded baskets over the next several minutes. Three-pointers by Madi Jones and Anderson put Northwestern back in front by as much as five until Dordt scored the final five points of the quarter on baskets by
Faith Van Holland and Gustafson along with a free throw by Gustafson to tie the score at 60.
By the Numbers:
- both teams shot 47% for the game
- Dordt shot nearly 58% in the second half; Northwestern was over 60% in the first half
- Northwestern had the advantage from the three-point line and free throw line
- Dordt - 5/16 3pt (31%), 6/8 FT line
- Northwestern - 8/17 3pt (47%), 16/21 FT line
- Dordt outrebounded Northwestern 41-33
- the Defenders have had the advantage on the boards in every game this season
- the Defenders committed 11 turnovers compared to 15 by Northwestern
- Bailey Beckman has scored in double figures in eight of nine games this season
- this was her second straight 20-point game
- Beckman has made 194 three-pointers for her career, passing Payton (Harmsen) Hostetler on the all-time list
- Top Five, Career 3pters Made:
- Bailey Beckman - 194
- Payton Hostetler - 192
- Paige Engbers - 178
- Serena Van Beek - 166
- Amber Soodsma - 156
- Gracie Schoonhoven has scored in double figures in four straight games
- Northwestern was led by Maddie Jones and Hali Anderson with 18 points each
