Box Score No.1 Dordt University earned its 10th straight win as they defeat Morningside 93-72 in a GPAC women's basketball match-up played tonight at the De Witt Gym.
The Defenders picked up their third win over the last five days and improve to 17-0 in the GPAC, 22-1 overall. They hold a three-game lead on second place Concordia (Neb.) in the conference standings with five regular season games left to play. Morningside falls to 9-8 in the GPAC, 12-10 overall.
Macy Sievers led all players with a season-high 20 points, 18 in the second half, to go with 11 assists for her fourth double-double of the season.
Bailey Beckman netted 16 points on 6-for-12 shooting and both
Gracie Schoonhoven (13pts) and
Janie Schoonhoven (10pts) were also in double figures.
Janie Schoonhoven pulled down a game-high 10 boards for her sixth double-double of the season.
Trailing by five (9-4) early, the Defenders went on a 13-5 run capped by consecutive three-pointers by
Macey Nielson and Beckman to take their first lead (17-14) with 1:06 left in the first quarter. Tied at 17 moments later, a lay-up by
Gracie Schoonhoven put the Defenders up for good, 19-17, by the end of the quarter.
A
Karly Gustafson basket in the lane finished off a mini 6-0 Defenders run to put the hosts up 25-18 three minutes into the second frame. Later, the Defenders outscored Morningside 11-2 and following a three-pointer by
Olivia Harazin and jumper by
Eliana Kuperus, Dordt opened up a 38-26 advantage and led by 10 (40-30) at the half.
Dordt outscored the Mustangs 16-9 over the first four minutes of the third quarter, led by Sievers with seven points during the surge, to stretch the lead out to 56-39. After a Morningside timeout, the visitors made one final push and trimmed the Dordt lead to 10 (60-50) at the two minute mark of the third quarter. The Defenders, however, extended their lead to 14 (68-54) by the end of the quarter following a long Beckman three-pointer that just beat the horn.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Defenders as they used a pair of runs, first a 12-5 surge to pull ahead by 21 (80-59), and then an 8-0 run where they held Morningside scoreless for nearly four minutes to take an 88-61 lead with 3:08 left.
Alexis Spier, one of three Morningside players to score in double figures, led the Mustangs with 18 points. Jordyn Carr poured in 15, making 3-of-6 three-pointers, and Chase Pfanstiel netted 13 points off the bench.
By the Numbers:
- Game Flow:
- the Defenders tied the game for the first time (14-14) on a three-pointer by Macey Nielson with three minutes left in the first quarter
- a Bailey Beckman three-pointer put the Defenders in front for the first time (17-14) at the 1:06 mark of the first quarter
- Gracie Schoonhoven closed the first quarter with a made jumper to give Dordt the lead for good (19-17)
- Dordt outscored Morningside in every quarter
- Dordt held the advantage in all three shooting categories:
- field goal %: 51% - 45%
- 3pt FG %: 42% - 32%
- FT %: 69% - 67%
- the Defenders held a slight edge on the boards, 39-37
- Dordt committed 13 turnovers compared to 18 by Morningside
- this was the Defenders fifth straight victory against the Mustangs
Individual Notes:
- Macy Sievers scored a season-high 20 points, four shy of her career-high vs Jamestown last year; this was the second 20-point game of her career
- Sievers dished out 11 assists for her fourth double-double of the season; the fifth 10+ assist game of her career and third this season
- with her 16 points, Bailey Beckman has scored in double figures in a team-high 18 games this season
- Janie Schoonhoven recorded her sixth double-double of the season and 12th for her career
- Gracie Schoonhoven scored in double figures in her 17th game
