No.4 Dordt University could not overcome a rough shooting night as they fall to (RV) Northwestern 58-48 in a tough, defensive conference match-up played tonight in Orange City, Iowa.
The Defenders lost for just the second time this season, falling to 19-2 in the conference, 25-2 overall. They split the season series against Northwestern with each team winning on their home floor.
Points were hard to come by for both teams as the game was dominated by defense. Dordt was held to a season-low in points and field goal percentage, making a mere 19-of-66 field goal attempts (29%).
Bailey Beckman and
Macy Sievers led the Defenders with 11 points each and
Hayden Heimensen scored 10, all but two coming in the second half.
Dordt never led and fell behind 9-0 after the first four minutes to force head coach
Bill Harmsen into taking a pair of early timeouts. A couple of free throws by Sievers broke the scoring drought with 4:58 left in the quarter, and, to the credit of the effort on defense, Dordt trailed by just six (16-10) after the first quarter.
Baskets from Beckman and
Karly Gustafson followed by a couple of free throws by
Janie Schoonhoven tied the game at 16 as Dordt held Northwestern scoreless for nearly five minutes at the start of the second quarter. A free throw by Red Raider guard Taylor Vander Velde with 5:10 left in the half was the final point from either team, giving Northwestern a 17-16 advantage at intermission. The teams combined to go 2-23 from the field in the low-scoring second quarter.
The teams alternated baskets for much of the third quarter, which came to a close with Northwestern leading by two, 38-36. Dordt managed to cut the lead down to one five different times and fell behind by as many as five (2x) in the period. Both teams had their best shooting percentage in the third (Dordt - 47%, Northwestern - 67%).
Following a free throw by Northwestern guard Madi Jones,
McKenna Klecker knocked down a three-pointer to tie the game at 39 early in the fourth quarter, the first tie since the mid-point of the second period. Northwestern came back with a 5-1 run and held a 2-4 point lead over the next 5-plus minutes. A floater in the lane by Gustafson brought the Defenders within two (48-46) but they would not get any closer as Northwestern closed the game on a 10-2 run over the final 2:30.
By The Numbers...
- Dordt shot 29% for the game, 26% (5/19) from the 3-point line
- the Defenders were outrebounded for just the fourth time this season, 42-31
- Northwestern had the edge from the free throw line, going 14/21, compared to Dordt's 5/9
- Dordt's lone advantage in the stats was turnovers; Defenders -10, Northwestern - 20
- Janie Schoonhoven led Dordt with 12 rebounds
- Macy Sievers pulled down six boards and dished out three assists
- Molly Schany and Maddie Jones shared game-high honors with 19 points to lead NW
