No.1 Dordt University downed (RV) Dakota Wesleyan 85-75 in a GPAC women's basketball match-up between ranked teams played tonight in Mitchell, S.D.
The Defenders sweep the regular season series against DWU and pick up their 14th consecutive win heading into the final game of the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Northwestern. Dordt improves to 21-0 in the conference, 26-1 overall.Â
Five Defenders scored in double figures, led by
Bailey Beckman with 17 points, making 6-of-14 field goal attempts. Both
Janie Schoonhoven and
Gracie Schoonhoven netted 15 points each and Macy Sieves collected 14 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Karly Gustafson recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
An early 7-0 run put the Defenders in front for good (14-8) at the five-minute mark of the first quarter, keyed by a 5-point play where
Gracie Schoonhoven scored and was fouled, missed the free throw but was then rebounded by
Faith Van Holland who connected with
Macey Nielson for a three-pointer.Â
Later in the period,
Gracie Schoonhoven and
Olivia Harazin combined to score all 12 points during a 12-2 Defenders run that pushed Dordt's lead to 26-14. A three-pointer by Sievers on the final possession put Dordt in front 29-18 at the end of the first quarter.
Dordt shot nearly 60% and put another 29 points on the board in the second quarter to take a 58-37 halftime lead. The Defenders scored the final seven points of the first half, all by Beckman, who closed the period by draining a long three-pointer with five seconds left.Â
Leading by 17 midway into the third quarter, Dordt went ahead by 22 following a basket by
Taylor Drent and three-point play from Beckman. DWU managed to cut the Defenders lead down to 16 by the end of the quarter and had it down to nine (84-75) with 22 seconds left in the game.
Dakota Wesleyan (14-7 GPAC, 19-8) is now tied with Briar Cliff for third place with one game left in the regular season. Rylee Rosenquist led the Tigers with 26 points, half scored from the free throw line (13-14). Morgan Edelman contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds; Dordt held DWU's leading scorer, Emma Yost, to four points, 11 below her season average.
By the Numbers:
- the Defenders shot 46% for the game, 50% or better in both the second and fourth quarters; DWU shot 39% for the game
- both teams made six three-pointers; Dordt shot 35% from the arc (6/17) compared to 26% by DWU (6/23)
- both teams shot 23 free throws; Dordt made 17 (74%), DWU 21 (91%)
- Dordt had a +13 advantage on the boards (45-32) and pulled down 16 offensive rebounds
Defender Notes:
- Beckman was the Defenders' leading scorer for the sixth time this season, tied for the second most on the team
- Beckman has scored in double-figures in a team-high 20 games this season
- number of games w/ 10+ points:
- Gustafson recorded her fourth double-double of the season, 26th of her career
- Janie Schoonhoven moved into 22nd place on the career points list with 947, passing Kim Kroeze (2013-17)
- Macy Sievers moved into 18th place in career steals (141)
- Dordt has outrebounded all but one opponent (SDSU) this season
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