Late Rally Lifts Tigers Past No. 11 Hastings

For the second time in three games, the Doane women's basketball team found the favorable side of the win/loss column against a Top 25 opponent as the Tigers downed No. 11 Hastings on Thursday evening, 58-57. The win was their first in Hastings since the 2011 season.

A little over a week after knocking off then-No. 7 Concordia by 36 points, Doane had their hands full with the Broncos in Lynn Farrell Arena. The Tigers managed to score the final five points of the game over the last 70 seconds of play.

Doane took the early lead in the game, 7-0, behind a pair of lay-ups and a 3-point basket. The Broncos battled back with nine straight points behind the play of Abby Jackson as she scored five in the run. After exchanging a couple of baskets, McKenna Dodd (So./Lincoln, Neb.) hit a 3-point bucket to put the Tigers up 16-13. A lay-up by Hastings as time expired left Doane up one point after the 1st quarter.

The teams exchanged leads six times in the 2nd quarter, including four times in the opening two minutes of the quarter. The Tigers relied on Hanah Barnard (Jr./Beatrice, Neb.) while the Broncos turned to Teeka Thompson. Thompson and Barnard exchanged baskets twice to change the lead with Barnard converting a three-point play to give Doane a 21-19 lead with 8:47 left in the quarter.

Hastings regained the lead midway through the 2nd quarter on a layup and two free throws from Rachel Jelden. A hoop from Heather Broman (Sr./Geneva, Neb.) and a 3-point basket from Morgan Hill (Jr./Crete, Neb.), her second make of the season, regained the lead for Doane. Barnard closed with four of the final five points for the Tigers in the half as they lead 31-27 at the break.

"Hanah had a solid first half and with how they were playing, we knew she needed to keep attacking the basket," Coach Tracee Fairbanks said of Barnard who scored 11 in the first half.

Doane lead throughout the 3rd quarter, building a seven point lead, 42-35. Broman scored seven of the team's opening 11 points in the quarter, including her first 3-point basket since January 2015 (now 3-of-8 for her career).

"(Broman) hit a few jumpers, including a 3-pointer, which then created the opportunity for her to drive the basket," Fairbanks commented. "She had more quickness against the players guarding her but it wasn't until hitting those jumpers where they then had to respect her shot that she could then attack the hoop."

The Broncos rallied behind Thompson as she scored four points, picked up an offensive rebound and collected an assist in the final 1:16 to pull Hastings within one point, 44-43, at the quarter break. Doane turned the ball over four times in the last five possessions of the quarter.

After an exchange of layups to open the 4th quarter, neither team was able to find the net for nearly three minutes. Mackenzie Willicott broke the drought and gave Hastings their first lead since the 2nd quarter on a basket following a Doane turnover. The Broncos' largest lead was six points, 55-49, with 2:35 to play following a 3-point hoop from Holly Hild.

"We lost our attack mentality and started to play not to lose," remarked Fairbanks. "We added some full court pressure and got the momentum back just in time for that final run."

Shelbi Bittinger (Sr./Milford, Neb.) had been held quiet all evening until the final 90 seconds of the game. She battled foul trouble and had been held to one shot over 22 minutes of play but a steal by Barnard led to a 3-point basket from Bittinger to pull the Tigers within two points.

A foul by Doane sent Thompson to the line where she made both free throws for a 57-53 lead with 1:09 to play. On the Tigers next possession, Broman drew a foul and made both free throws to pull Doane within two points. Thompson missed a running jumper on Hastings' next possession and Morgan Hill pulled down the rebound. Hastings applied pressure and as Doane broke the token press, Jenna Nieveen found Bittinger on the wing and she knocked down a 3-point basket for the lead with 27 seconds left to play.

"Shelbi had struggled most of the night but came up big," said Fairbanks. "She was battling a little illness and wasn't her normal self but she made some big shots late in the game."

Hastings missed a running jumper on their next attempt, fouling Doane with 8.2 seconds left. However, the Tigers missed both free throws and Hastings took a timeout with seven seconds to play. Thompson missed a pull-up jumper in the lane and Doane again pulled in the rebound and was fouled. The first free throw was missed and with 0.8 left, Bittinger intentionally missed her second attempt to prevent a last chance for Hastings.

Broman led the Tigers with 18 points and Barnard finished with 13 points and five assists. Hill posted a team-high nine rebounds while Bittinger and Nieveen each pulled in seven. Barnard led the Tigers with three steals.

Thompson was the only Bronco in double figures, posting 20 points on 8-of-21 shooting. Jelden pulled in a game-high 11 rebounds to go with eight points. Thompson added five assists and Chelsey Morten posted four steals.

"Hastings is tough and always find ways to win close games," Fairbanks commented. "This was a good defensive win for us and I have always said an ugly win is better than a pretty loss."

Hastings was held to 35-percent shooting (21-of-60) on the evening and 23-percent behind the arc (4-of-17). Doane shot 44-percent (22-of-50) for the game and 46-percent from behind the 3-point line (6-of-13).

"I felt like we did a better job of stopping their basket drive in the second half," Broman said. "We were just digging in and creating loose balls by getting a hand in when they did attack. We also played really well on the perimeter."

The win for Doane moved their record to 14-11 overall and 7-10 in the GPAC while Hastings fell to 17-7 and 11-6 in the GPAC. The win was the sixth of the season for Doane over a Top 25 opponent. The Tigers have another tough road task as they play at (RV) Mount Marty on Saturday, February 6. The Lancers are coming off a win over No. 9 Briar Cliff.

"This was a big win for us but we need a few more big wins," Broman commented about the final five games of the regular season. "Mount Marty is on a hot streak and the game will be a dog fight."