Women's Basketball Falls at No. 9 Concordia
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Doane (NE) (2-6, 0-4) | 16 | 7 | 15 | 21 | 59 |
|
(9) Concordia (NE) (9-0, 5-0) | 27 | 29 | 23 | 10 | 89 |
SEWARD, Neb. — Doane women's basketball ran into one of the nation's hottest teams Wednesday night, falling 89–59 to No. 9-ranked Concordia in GPAC play at Friedrich Arena. The Tigers dropped to 2–6 (0–4 GPAC), while the Bulldogs remained unbeaten at 9–0 (5–0 GPAC).
Concordia set the tone early, hitting 16 three-pointers and using a 27-point first quarter to build a lead it would not relinquish. The Bulldogs' defensive pressure also created 28 Doane turnovers, resulting in 41 Concordia points off giveaways. Despite the deficit, the Tigers continued to battle, outscoring Concordia 21–10 in the final period.
Freshman guard Keeleigh Knobbe delivered a strong effort for Doane, posting a team-high 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including a pair of threes. She added four rebounds and two steals while logging a team-high 30 minutes. Fellow starter Rylie Rice added 12 points and seven rebounds, going 7-for-12 at the free-throw line.
Mattea Kassebaum contributed nine points, four assists, and four rebounds while shooting 4-for-9 from the field. Emma Vander Plaats reached eight points—six of which came in the fourth quarter—along with three rebounds and a steal. Ella Johnson added six points and two blocks in her 18 minutes of action.
Doane finished the night shooting 42.9 percent from the floor and 62.5 percent at the foul line. The Tigers matched Concordia on the boards with 35 rebounds apiece but were unable to overcome the Bulldogs' perimeter shooting and depth, which produced 47 bench points.
Concordia showcased the firepower befitting a top-10 team, hitting 40 percent from beyond the arc and distributing 23 assists on 31 made field goals. The Bulldogs' largest lead reached 44 early in the fourth quarter before Doane closed the game on a run.
The Tigers return to action Saturday as they continue GPAC play, looking to build on their strong fourth-quarter performance and carry that momentum into the next conference matchup. Doane will host No. 1 Dordt at 4 PM in the Haddix Center.
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