MADISON, S.D. – The No. 13 ranked Northwestern College women’s basketball team (12-2, 5-2 GPAC) wrapped up the first half of their schedule with an exciting 63-60 win over No. 17 ranked Dakota State University (10-4, 1-0 NSAA).
The Raiders began the game on a 15-4 run capped off with a Devyn Kemble three. Northwestern shot 50 percent from the field in the opening quarter of play and held the Trojans to 15.38 percent shooting, finishing an impressive opening frame with a 18-7 lead.
The second quarter saw the momentum shift to the Dakota State side. Both squads would trade baskets to begin the quarter and then a series of turnovers would enable the Trojans to go on an 11-0 run to finish the first half. Dakota State would take their first lead with 28 seconds to play in the half and would take a 31-26 lead into the locker room.
Back-to-back buckets from Molly Schany and Maddie Jones would trim the Trojan lead to one. A Taylor VanderVelde bucket with 6:49 left in the third quarter would help the Raiders regain the lead. Dakota State would hang tough and take the lead right back on their next possession. The Trojans would stretch the lead to as many as six ending the third quarter up 53-47.
Northwestern would go on a impressive 15-0 run to open the final quarter of play and take a nine point lead into the final 3:35 of the game. Three straight Trojan baskets would trim the Raider lead to two with 20 seconds to play. The Trojans were forced to foul and Jones converted one of two from the foul line to give the Raiders a sim three point lead. A tough defensive effort wouldn’t allow Dakota State to get a clean shot off and the Raiders prevailed with a three point victory.
Jones (Jr., Twin Lakes, Iowa/South Central Calhoun) led the Raiders with 14 points and three steals, she also grabbed an impressive six rebounds from her guard position. VanderVelde (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington) finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Schany (So., Emmetsburg, Iowa/Emmetsburg) and Kemble (Sr., Panora, Iowa/Panorama) would round out the double digit scorers with 11 and 10 respectively. Jada Cunningham (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D./Washington) led the team with four assists and junior Emilee Danner (Westside, Iowa/Ar-We-Va) came off the bench to provide six points and seven rebounds.
The two teams combined to go 5-for-31 from beyond the arc. Northwestern held a 40-29 rebounding advantage and tallied seven total blocks. Dakota State won the turnover battle forcing 23 for the game but the Raiders shot 47.2 percent for the game to the Trojans 39.4 percent.
Up Next: The Raiders will return to play after Christmas break to take on the Statesmen of William Penn on Dec. 30 at 6 p.m.
