Sioux City, Iowa — The Dordt University women’s basketball team will be playing for a national title tonight, after a heart-stopping 53-52 semifinal round win over Southeastern Florida Monday night at the Tyson Events Center.
Dordt continued an improbable run through the tournament by ousting the number one-ranked team in the nation and handing the Fire just their second loss of the season. Bailey Beckman calmly made the first of two free throws with three-point-nine seconds left to give them a one point lead. She missed the second, but Southeastern could manage only a long heave before the buzzer sounded. Dordt Head Coach Bill Harmsen said he was confident with Beckman at the line.
Dordt, which takes a 29-8 record into the title game tonight, prevailed despite shooting 35 percent from the field and making just 2 of 22 3-point shots. For the second time at the NAIA Women’s Basketball Championship, both Ashtyn Veerbeek and Gustafson notched double-doubles. Veerbeek led all scorers with 14 points and had 11 boards, Gustafson had 13 points with her 15 rebounds. Harmsen said they worked hard to get the ball inside.
Dordt was runner-up to Morningside in the Great Plains Athletic Conference regular-season standings. Dordt was 7-6 at one point early in the year, Harmsen said the tough games throughout the season in the GPAC helped his team become what it is today.
Dordt becomes the first Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) team to make a championship game appearance since Concordia (Neb.) made it in 2019. The Defenders meet Thomas More of Kentucky at 7 tonight for the title. Thomas More defeated Central Methodist (Mo.) 82-62 in the other semifinal last night. Until this season, Dordt had never even made it to the Round of 16.
