Luke Rankin scored a game-high 22 points and the Defenders pulled away late in the second half in their 80-73 defeat of Dakota Wesleyan in a GPAC match-up played Wednesday night in Mitchell, S.D. The Defenders picked up their second consecutive win and improve to 7-6 in the league, 15-7 overall.
Trailing by as many as eight (41-33) early in the second half, Dordt used a 10-2 run to come back and tie the game at 43 following a three-pointer by Rankin.
The game remained tight, with five ties, over the next several minutes. Tied for the final time at 56, a free throw by Camden Bialas and lay-up from Josh Baugher put the Defenders in front for good, 59-56, with 7:21 left to go.
Led by Rankin and his backcourt mate, Bryce Coppock, Dordt put the game away with two distinct scoring runs (6-2 and 7-2) over the final 6-plus minutes. The guard duo combined to score 16 of their teams final 22 points, beginning with a three-point play by Coppock and finished off with two free throws from Rankin.
Dordt shot 54% for the game, 31% (5/16) from beyond the arc.
Rankin missed just one shot from the field, going 9-for-10 from the floor, to record his second 20-plus point game of the season. Coppock added 15 points and six rebounds, reaching double figures for the 15 straight game. Cade Bleeker and Jackson Louscher both netted 11 points, giving Dordt four players in double figures.
The first half was close throughout and featured six lead changes over the first 14 minutes. Dakota Wesleyan got hot from the perimeter during the final minutes, making good on a trio of three-pointers, to build up a 36-33 halftime lead.
Jeffrey Schuch led DWU with 16 points, followed by Koln Oppold with 15. The Tigers fall to 6-8 in the GPAC, 9-12 overall.
NEXT UP
The Defenders will next play Hastings on the road this Saturday, Jan. 29 at 4pm.
