Women's Basketball Takes Down No. 11 DWU in GPAC Opener

Women's Basketball started conference play on Saturday afternoon at home as they hosted No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan. Doane entered the game having lost their previous 21 meetings with DWU but would walk away with a dominant 77-61 victory to improve to 3-0 on the year.

The opening quarter was a back-and-forth battle with five lead changes and two ties. Neither team would hold a lead larger than three points as Dakota Wesleyan led 21-20 after 10 minutes of action.

Doane scored the first four points to start the second quarter and would not trail again. DWU was able to tie the game on two occasions, including 30-all with 3:31 to play before the half. Mak Hatcliff had baskets to bookend a 10-0 run as the Tigers took the lead for good. She scored a layup to put Doane in front which was followed by a 3-point basket from Macy Holtz and a layup from Libby Trausch. Hatcliff knocked down a 3-point basket for a 40-30 lead. Doane led 42-32 at the break.

Megan Chambers scored for Doane eight seconds into the third quarter but DWU would go on a 10-3 run to pull within five points, 47-42. Doane was able to push their lead back to nine points, 57-48, as the teams headed into the final quarter.

The final quarter opened with the Doane defense blanking DWU for the opening 5:33 as the offense went on a 13-0 run to take a 70-48 lead with 4:27 to play. Dakota Wesleyan was held without a field goal in the quarter until 1:05 to play as they converted free throws for their only points until that time.

For the game, Hatcliff led all scorers with 26 points while pulling down nine rebounds. Kaylee Klover posted 13 points and 10 rebounds while dishing out four assists. Holtz finished with 10 points and team-high three steals. Maddie Portwine added 10 points and a team-high six assists. Trausch notched 10 points off the bench with a pair of 3-point baskets.

Doane shot 46-percent from the floor (27-of-59) while converting 6-of-14 (43-percent) from behind the arc. They were 17-of-25 (68-percent) at the free throw line. Dakota Wesleyan shot 36-percent from the floor (22-of-61) but was limited to 3-of-24 (13-percent) from behind the arc. They made 14-of-15 (93-percent) at the free throw line.

DWU was led by Emma Yost with 19 points while Rylee Rosenquist finished with 10 points.

The Tigers will have a week to prepare for their next game as they travel to Sioux City, Iowa, on Saturday, November 23, to take on Morningside at 2 PM.