No.1 Dordt University earned an 84-79 road win over No.6 Concordia in a GPAC women's basketball match-up between top 10 teams played tonight at the Friedrich Arena in Seward, Neb.
The Defenders picked up their ninth straight win and improved to 16-0 in the GPAC, 21-1 overall. They have a three-game lead over the Bulldogs in the current GPAC standings with six to play. Concordia had its 12-game win streak snapped and is now 13-3 in the conference, 19-3 overall.
Karly Gustafon scored a game-high 21 points to go with four rebounds and four assists to lead the Defenders. Gustafson made a career-high 15-of-16 free throw attempts and also pulled down her 1,000th career rebound with around 8-minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Hayden Heimensen, who made a trio of three-pointers, and
Macy Sievers both netted 11 points and
Bailey Beckman scored 10.
Janie Schoonhoven pulled down 10 rebounds and both Sievers and
Gracie Schoonhoven grabbed seven boards each.
The game was a fast-paced, back-and-forth affair that featured 19 lead changes. A fast start by Concordia put the hosts in front 9-4, their largest lead oft the game, just minutes into the showdown. Dordt eventually rallied, took its first lead (21-19) on a basket by
Janie Schoonhoven and finished off a 15-4 run with a Sievers lay-up after a
Gracie Schoonhoven steal. The Defenders led 27-23 after the first quarter.
Concordia guard Mackenzie Toomey led the Bulldogs back early in the second quarter as she scored six of her team's first 10 points to give the hosts the lead 33-30. A Beckman three-pointer tied the score at 33 and from there, neither team led by more than three for the rest of the half. The lead was traded four times during the final three minutes of the half that resulted in a 48-46 Concordia lead.
Dordt opened up a four-point lead (54-50) after a
Faith Van Holland three-pointer at the eight minute mark of the third quarter only to have Concordia answer with an 11-4 run to take a 61-58 advantage with three minutes left. The lead traded sides five more times during the final three minutes with the Defenders taking the lead for good on a pair of Beckman free throws (68-67) and a Sievers steal and lay-up as the quarter ended (70-67).
The Defenders went on a 6-2 run at the start of the fourth quarter, taking their largest lead (76-69) on Heimensen's third and final three-pointer. Concordia made one last charge back and cut the lead down to one (78-77) with three minutes left. Despite going 1/12 from the field in the fourth quarter, the Defenders managed to hold off the rally at the free throw line, making 11-of-16 from the charity stipe in the fourth quarter.
Taysha Rushton was among three Concordia players in double figures with 19; Mackenzie Toomey and Sadie Powell both scored 16.
By the Numbers:
- there were 19 lead changes throughout the back and forth game
- the Defenders shot 1/12 in the final quarter but made 11/16 free throw attempts and held a commanding edge on the boards (18-7) over the final 10 minutes
- Dordt shot 42% for the game; Concordia 40%
- the Defenders made 8/25 3pters (32%); Concordia shot just 4/22 from the arc (18%)
- Dordt held a big edge both in rebounding and at the free throw line
- the Defenders made 30/39 attempts, a season-high in both makes and attempts; Concordia shot 19/21
- Dordt, the No.1 team in the NAIA in rebound margin, held a 45-31 edge on the boards
Individual Notes:
- this was the third 20-plus point game of the season for Gustafson, 20th of her career
- Beckman, with her 10 points, lead the Defenders with 17 games in double figures
- Sievers reached double figures for the 10th time this season
- Heimensen scored in double figures in four games this season
- this was the fourth straight game that Heimensen has made a three-pointer; she has made at least one three-pointer in 19 of the 22 games this season
