MITCHELL, S.D. – The No. 16 ranked Northwestern College women’s basketball team (21-6, 13-6 GPAC) fell to (RV) Dakota Wesleyan (21-6, 13-6 GPAC) squad 63-51.
Northwestern jumped out to a 12-3 lead throughout the first quarter. The Tigers used a 4-0 run to close the quarter giving the Raiders a 12-7 lead. The Raider defense held DWU to 23.1 percent from the floor in the opening frame. Northwestern also won the rebound game 10-3 and were able to convert on half of their shots, shooting an even 50 percent.
The Raiders kept a steady pace and held on to around a six-point lead for most of the second quarter. Northwestern used a balanced attack to keep DWU at arm’s length but left points on the board going one of six from the free throw line in the period. The Tigers were able to hang around and used a made three pointer as time expired to cut the Raider lead in half to a slim three points (24-21).
Coming out of the halftime break DWU scored on back-to-back possessions to take a one-point lead. The Raiders would respond with a Devyn Kemble (Sr., Panora, Iowa/Panorama) three to take the lead right back. Jada Campbell would prove to be the go-to player for the Tigers, answering with a bucket of her own to tie the game. The game would continue to back and fourth with the lead changing five more times during the quarter, with Northwestern having the final say taking a 40-39 lead into the final quarter.
Dakota Wesleyan would use a 7-0 run to open up the fourth quarter to jump out to a 46-40 lead. Maddie Jones would answer for the Raiders with four straight of her own to cut the deficit to three. A 7-0 DWU run would give the Tigers a 10-point lead with just over 1:40 left to play forcing the Raiders to foul and try to extend the game. The Tigers would knock down free throws to seal the win and not allow the Raiders to climb back into it.
Jada Cunningham (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington) would lead Northwestern in scoring with 11. Jones (Jr., Twin Lakes, Iowa/South Central Calhoun) would be the only other Raider in double figures with 10. Junior Hannah Nerem (Edgerton, Minn./SW Minn. Christian) provided some offense coming off the bench with seven points. Emilee Danner (Jr., Westside, Iowa/Ar-We-Va) led the Raiders with 10 rebounds.
Up Next: The Raiders will return home to face the Lancers of Mount Marty University on Saturday, Feb. 12, with tip off set for 2:00 p.m. The women’s basketball program will be celebrating their senior class prior to tip off at approximately 1:40 p.m.
