November 5, 2016

Photo credits by Kaden Huntrods and Donald Weidler

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Nationally-ranked Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) held a seven-point lead before entering the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon in the South Dakota NAIA Basketball Classic at the Sanford Pentagon.  The Tigers outscored the Lady T's 19-7 in the fourth quarter to pull away for an 83-64 victory.

Dakota State fell to 0-3 overall record.  Dakota Wesleyan, ranked No. 3 in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 national poll, remained undefeated at 3-0 overall record.

The Lady T's and Tigers went through a high-scoring affair in the first-half, with DWU leading after the first quarter at 24-20.  Dakota Wesleyan would stretch their lead into double-digits at 37-27 with 5:37 to go in the second quarter.

DSU would trim DWU's lead into single-digit after a pair of free-throws by Kennedy Wagner with 21 seconds left in the second quarter.  The Tigers held on to a 50-42 halftime lead after shooting 51.5 percent from the field (17-of-33).  The Lady T's shot 46.9 percent (15-of-32) in the first twenty minutes of the game.

Dakota Wesleyan regained their double-digit lead back at 56-46 with 7:16 left in the third quarter.  Dakota State used a 10-4 scoring run to cut DWU's lead to 60-56 after Kelley Criddle's two free-throws with 1:19 left in the period.

DWU held on to a 64-57 lead by the end of the third quarter.

The Tigers opened up the fourth quarter by scoring 13 straight points to expand their lead to 77-57 with 3:47 remaining.  The Lady T's ended their scoring drought with a pair of free-throws by Britley Plautz with 3:25 left as DSU trailed 77-59.

Dakota State could get no closer than 15 points at 77-62 with 2:10 remaining.  DWU shot 35.7 percent from the field (5-of-14), 3-of-5 from the 3-point line and made 6-of-8 free-throws in the fourth quarter.  DSU was held to 2-of-13 shooting from the field (15.4 percent), 1-of-6 from the 3-point line and made both free-throws in the final period.

Jordan Hansen scored 12 points off the bench for the Lady T's.  She was 4-of-8 from the field, including 3-of-5 from the 3-point arc.  Wagner and Olson each added nine points.  Jaime Tebben and Criddle each tallied eight points.

Wagner led DSU with eight rebounds.  Olson, Tebben and Criddle each had five rebounds.  Wagner dished out four assists.  Olson had a game-high four steals.  Tebben, Plautz, Cassie Jones, Hansen and Criddle each had a blocked shot.

Kynedi Cheeseman led all scorers with 19 points off the bench for the Tigers.  She was 6-of-7 from the field, including a perfect 4-of-4 from the 3-point line and made 3-of-4 free-throws.  Ashley Bray added 18 points.  Amber Bray scored 12 points.  Sarah Carr had 11 points off the bench.

Ashley Bray and Sarah Carr each earned six rebounds for DWU.  Ashley Bray and Chesney Nagel each dished out five assists.  Kirstin Sabers recorded three blocked shots.

Dakota Wesleyan shot 42.2 percent overall from the field (27-of-64) compared to Dakota State 35 percent (21-of-60).  The Tigers were 9-of-20 from the 3-point line (45 percent) while the Lady T's were 6-of-21 3-pointers (28.6 percent).

DWU made 20-of-26 free-throws (76.9 percent).  DSU was 16-of-26 from the free-throw line (61.5 percent).

Dakota State plays on the second day of the South Dakota NAIA Basketball Classic Sunday evening.  The Lady T's face another members of the GPAC, Mount Marty (S.D.).  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.

Nick Huntimer, Dakota State University Sports Information Director