A late first-half run changed the game.
It swayed an increasing Dakota Wesleyan University lead into Briar Cliff’s favor, as the Chargers handed the Tigers their first loss of the season on Wednesday at the Corn Palace. A 15-0 run set the groundwork for Briar Cliff’s 80-63 win in the Great Plains Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
The Tigers (2-1, 0-1 GPAC) turned it over five times and missed 10 straight shots during the 6-minute, 32-second run, as their errant passes and inability to capitalize on open looks plagued them through the game. DWU’s poor passing turned into 23 turnovers as Briar Cliff (2-0, 1-0) scored 32 points off takeaways.
Korynn Clason, who recorded 11 points and five rebounds, made a layup out of halftime to cut the deficit to 37-33, but DWU never got closer than five points the rest of the game. Briar Cliff either hit crucial shots when DWU started to gain momentum, or the Tigers turned it over or missed open looks.
When Haidyn Pitsch knocked down a 3-pointer to make it a 66-57 game with 7:06 to play, Kennedy Benne responded with back-to-back corner 3s for the Chargers. Benne had a game-high 22 points on 8-for-11 shooting, helping Briar Cliff shoot 48.3 percent from the field and 8-for-17 from deep.
ADVERTISEMENT
Pitsch scored 13 of her team-high 19 points after the break, though DWU wasn’t consistent enough on the offensive end once it fell behind. It shot 36.5 percent -- 31.1 percent after the first quarter -- and 8-for-26 from 3-point range.
Tripp native Matti Reiner scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Jada Campbell finished with 10 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Kaylee Kirk added six rebounds and six assists in the loss.
Briar Cliff’s Payton Slaughter had 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and five steals. Konnor Sudmann had an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double, along with three steals.
DWU women host Doane (Neb.) at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Notes: The Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team declined to comment after the game.
Briar Cliff 80, Dakota Wesleyan University 63
Briar Cliff (2-0, 1-0): Kennedy Benne 8-11 3-4 22, Konnor Sudmann 4-11 3-3 11, Payton Slaughter 5-9 1-2 13, Madelyn Deitchler 1-5 4-8 6, Josie Condon 4-7 0-0 10, Kaegan Held 2-5 1-1 5, Paityn Hagberg 2-3 0-0 5, Mya Hendry 3-4 0-0 6, Michaela Lange 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Lamprecht 0-5 2-2 2. Team totals: 29-60 14-20 80.
Dakota Wesleyan (2-1, 0-1): Kaylee Kirk 0-4 2-2 2, Haidyn Pitsch 7-12 1-2 19, Korynn Clason 4-13 2-2 11, Matti Reiner 5-9 2-2 12, Jada Campbell 4-8 2-2 10, Aspen Hansen 0-0 0-0 0, Rynn Osthus 1-3 0--2 0, Grace Imbery 1-3 0-0 3, Mya Wilson 0-2 0-0 0, Haylee Mork 2-8 0-0 6, Isabel Ihnen 0-0 0-0 0, Hannah Berens 0-2 0-0 0, Anna Campbell 0-0 0-0 0, Natalie Gottlob 0-0 0-0 0, Abbigail Magnuson 0-1 0-0 0. Team totals: 23-63 9-12 63.
ADVERTISEMENT
BC 15 37 60 80
DWU 24 31 50 63
3-pointers: BC 8-17 (Benne 3-4, Slaughter 2-3, Condon 2-4, Hagberg 1-2, Sudmann 0-2, Held 0-1, Lamprecht 0-1); DWU 8-26 (Pitsch 4-7, Mork 2-8, Clason 1-5, Imbery 1-2, Wilson 0-2, Kirk 0-1, Reiner 0-1). Rebounds: BC 30 (Sudmann 11, Benne 5, Hendry 5); DWU 35 (Reiner 7, Kirk 6, Clason 5, Pitsch 5, Campbell 5). Assists: BC 11 (Slaughter 5); DWU 14 (Kirk 6). Steals: BC15 (Slaughter 5, Sudmann 3); DWU 8 (Kirk 2, Clason 2, Reiner 2). Blocked shots: BC 2; DWU 4 (Campbell 2). Turnovers: BC 14; DWU 23. Fouls: BC 15; DWU 19. A: 431.
