Mitchell, S.D. (MITCHELL NOW) Dakota Wesleyan women’s basketball drop their first home game of the season in a 95-93 offensive shootout. The Tigers had three players hit their career high mark in points with Shalayne Nagel having 23, Taliyah Hayes with 21, and Mya Wilson with 11. Nagel led the Tigers on the defensive end of the floor as well with four steals and two blocks. BCU hurt the Tigers beyond the arc going 14-25 (56%) for the game while shooting 54.8% from the floor. DWU was very efficient as well going 48.6% from the floor, 43.5% from deep, and 81.3% at the foul line.
The Chargers opened action with a quick 7-0 lead, drawing a timeout from DWU. The Tigers clawed their way back to just a two-point deficit at the end of the first quarter at 25-23. Dakota Wesleyan did it with knocking down shots from beyond the arc and going 8-9 from the foul line. DWU spread the wealth on offense with seven different players getting in the scoring column. The Tigers used precise passing during the quarter, assisting on five of their six made field goals.
The offensive shootout continued in the second quarter with the Tigers winning the quarter 30-24. The freshman Nagel was doing it all with her quarter high 13 points to go along with two steals and a block. This gave Nagel 18 points at the half, just one shy of her career high. Taliyah Hayes had a very productive quarter as well with her seven points, giving her 10 for the half. DWU shot 54.5% from the floor in the quarter while going 11-12 from the charity stripe. In the half the Tigers turned nine BCU turnovers into 14 points.
This run and gun type of game didn’t cool down over the halftime break as both teams went for 25+ games with Briar Cliff edging the Tigers 27-26 in the quarter. Nagel wasted no time to hit her new career high point mark with a step into it three-pointer from the top of the key that got nothing but net to give her 21. Mya Wilson also provided huge minutes for DWU knocking down three shots from deep to give her 11 points through three quarters which is a career-high for the senior guard. DWU held a slim 79-76 lead going to the fourth. The defensive intensity picked up for both squads as both teams were held to under 20 points in the quarter for the first time all game. The Tigers down by two had one last possession to either go for the tie or the lead with just three seconds left. DWU inbounded the ball and got it to Hayes who attempted a mid-range jumper that was off the mark resulting in a 95-93 loss, the first loss at home for DWU on the year.
Head-to-Head (Briar Cliff)
- The Tigers are 34-23 all-time against Chargers with tonight’s loss.
- Dakota Wesleyan and Briar Cliff split the series last year.
Up Next
- Dakota Wesleyan women’s basketball is back on the court at the Corn Palace Sunday, February 11 against No. Concordia with tipoff at 1 p.m.