No.1 Dordt University converted four straight free throws during the final minute of overtime to hold on and defeat 14th-ranked Concordia 88-85 in a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) women's basketball showdown played this afternoon at the Friedrich Arena in Seward, Neb.
Down by one (85-84) after a three-pointer by Concordia guard Kendal Brigham with 1:04 left in the overtime,
Macy Sievers converted a pair of free throws after being fouled on a drive to the hoop to put Dordt in front for good. The Bulldogs missed a three-pointer on their next possession and the Defenders controlled the rebound with 40 seconds left. Following a Dordt timeout,
Gracie Schoonhoven drew a foul and made two free throws to give her team an 88-85 advantage with 10 second left and Concordia missed on a game-tying three-pointer in the closing seconds.
How It Happened:
- an early 10-2 run, capped off by a Willow Bleeker three-pointer, gave Dordt a 10-5 lead at the 5-minute mark of the first quarter
- Concordia rallied to tie the score at 10 but Dordt closed the quarter with an 8-2 run and took an 18-12 lead after another Bleeker three-pointer
- a Janie Van Donge lay-up with an assist from Sievers gave Dordt its largest lead of the first half (30-21) midway into the second quarter
- Concordia trimmed the lead down to five (32-27) by halftime
- the Bulldogs made two free throws at the start of the third quarter but the Defenders responded with a 9-0 run and took its largest lead, 41-29, on a pair of Gracie Schoonhoven free throws
- still up by 12 (55-43) on a basket by Desta Hoogendoorn with 2-minutes left in the third, Concordia ended the quarter with an 11-4 run as Kendal Brigham sunk a half-court shot to trim the Dordt lead to 59-54
- Bleeker drained her third three-pointer of the game to give Dordt a seven-point lead (66-59) early in the fourth quarter
- the Bulldogs made it a one-point game (69-68) at the 5-minute mark
- two Gracie Schoonhoven free throws gave Dordt a 78-76 advantage with 23 seconds left
- Kristin Vieselmeyer sent the game into overtime with a contested jumper in the lane with eight seconds remaining
By the Numbers:
- Dordt shot 53% for the game, 44% (7/16) from beyond the arc and a season-best 89% (17/19) from the free throw line
- Concordia shot 45% for the game, 31% (11/35) from the arc, 80% from the free throw line (16/20)
- Dordt held a 38-30 advantage on the boards
- both teams committed 14 turnovers
- five Defenders scored in double figures, led by Gracie Schoonhoven with a season-high 20 points
- both Janie Van Donge and Macy Sievers recorded double-doubles
- Van Donge netted 16 points to go with 14 rebounds
- Sievers contributed 14 points and matched her career-best with 12 assists
- Olivia Harazin and Willow Bleeker added 13 and 11 points, respectively
- Kristin Vieselmeyer led Concordia with 18 points before fouling out in the overtime period
- Kendal Brigham added 17 points, including four three-pointers
Defender Notes:
- this is the third consecutive game the Defenders scored more than 80 points
- this is the fifth time the Defenders shot better than 50% from the field this season and first since the win against Mount Marty (Dec.7)
- Dordt shot a season-best 89.5% from the free throw line
- the Defenders held the advantage on the boards for the 14th time (in 15 games) this season
- Gracie Schoonhoven has scored in double figures in all five of her games played
- the 20 points scored is a season-high, three shy of matching her career-best
- Sievers recorded her 14th game with 10+ points
- Sievers matched her career-best with 12 assists, previously accomplished three times, including earlier this season against Mount Marty
- Van Donge recorded her team-leading 12th double-double and scored in double figures for the 13th time this season
- Sievers recorded her sixth double-double
- Harazin netted double figures for the ninth time this season
- Bleeker scored 10+ points for the fifth time
