The No.1 Dordt University women's basketball team rallied from a six-point, fourth quarter deficit to defeat No.7 Dakota State 79-76 in a top 10 match-up played tonight at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The Defenders stay unbeaten, improving their record to 4-0, as they head into their GPAC opener on Saturday at College of Saint Mary. Dakota State falls to 2-3 this season.
Janie Van Donge scored 14 of her game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of three-point plays in the final 2-plus minutes, to help the Defenders rally.
Macy Sievers finished one assist shy of a triple-double, filling up the stat sheet wth 18 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
Desta Hoogendoorn poured in a career-high 13 points coming off the Defenders bench.
Dordt shot 61% over the final 10 minutes and held Dakota State to 33% and just two field goals over the final four minutes.
How It Happened:
- Dordt fell behind early and trailed by eight (21-13) by the end of the first quarter
- Dakota State went ahead by as much as 10 early in the second quarter
- trailing by nine (29-20) with 5:39 left in the first half, Dordt outscored Dakota State 17-3, capped by a three-pointer from Brooke Smith that went in as the halftime buzzer sounded to give the Defenders a 37-32 advantage
- Macy Sievers scored the first six points of the run
- Dordt limited Dakota State to only one field goal over the final 5-plus minutes
- Dakota State regained the lead with a 16-6 surge to start the third quarter and led by five (48-43) after a basket by Cierra Watkins
- the teams traded baskets over the next few minutes until an 8-2 Defenders run put Dordt in front, 55-54, on a jumper by Hoogendoorn
- the Trojans scored the final six points of the quarter and led 60-55 heading into the final frame
- down by six (65-59) with 6:23 left to play, Dordt outscored DSU 11-4 over the next three-plus minutes, finished off with a 3-point play by Van Donge, for a 70-69 lead
- Dakota State guard Bria Wasmund knocked down a three-pointer on their next possession, giving the Trojans their final lead of the game, 72-70
- tied at 74 moments later, another Van Donge 3-point play put Dordt in front for good and the Defender made just enough free throws over the final seconds to hold on for the win
By the Numbers:
- Dordt shot 48% for the game, 33% (3/9) from the 3-point line
- Dakota State shot 42% for the game, 27% (6/22) from the arc
- the Defenders held the edge at the free throw line, making 20-of-28 attempts; DSU was 14/23
- Dordt outrebounded the Trojans 43-34
- three Dordt playes scored in double figures, led by Van Donge with 27 points, one shy of matching her career-high
- Sievers (18pts) and Hoogendoorn (13pts) were also in double figures
- four DSU players scored in double figures, led by Wasmund with 17
Defender Notes:
- this was the Defenders fourth straight win against Dakota State
- both Van Donge and Sievers have scored in double figures in every game this season
- Van Donge has four double-doubles this season and 21 for her career
- this was the second double-double for Sievers this season, ninth for her career
