Hot DWU Second Half Downs Women's Basketball

Doane Women's Basketball was unable to hold off a second half surge by Dakota Wesleyan as DWU picked up an 86-78 win over the Tigers.

The game opened with Doane scoring the first two baskets for a 4-0 lead. Dakota Wesleyan would use a 7-0 run midway through the quarter to take their first lead. The Tigers counter-punched with a 10-4 run to take an 18-17 lead with 2:42 to play in the 1st quarter but would be held scoreless the rest of the way. DWU scored the final four points and led 21-18 at the quarter break.

In the 2nd quarter, Doane caught fire as they shot 64.7-percent from the floor, hitting four 3-point baskets. Defensively, the Tigers held Dakota Wesleyan to 35.7-percent shooting which allowed Doane to take a 46-37 lead into the break.

The second half would see DWU shoot 63-percent from the floor as they out-scored the Tigers, 49-32. They had erased the Doane lead by the end of the 3rd quarter as DWU held a two-point advantage heading into the final 10 minutes. 

The Tigers would see the Dakota Wesleyan lead increase to 13 points at the midway point of the 4th quarter. Doane would go on a 13-4 run and pull within four points, 82-78, with 18 seconds left but DWU would hit four free throws in the final 10 seconds to seal the win.

Doane was led in scoring by Mak Hatcliff as she poured in 37 points on 12-of-17 shooting. She hit three 3-point baskets and was 10-of-15 at the free throw line. Libby Trausch added 14 points, hitting three 3-point baskets as well.

Hatcliff led the Tigers with seven rebounds with Megan Chambers adding five as Doane held a 34-26 advantage on the boards. Turnovers would prove costly though for the Tigers as they committed 22 compared to 14 for DWU.

Doane shot 50.9-percent from the floor for the game, hitting 8-of-21 from behind the arc and 14-of-20 at the free throw line. DWU ended the game shooting 51.7-percent from the floor, 7-of-14 from 3-point range, and 19-of-24 at the charity stripe.

Next up for the Tigers will be a trip to Omaha to take on College of Saint Mary on Wednesday, January 25, at 6 PM.