Mustang
BASKETBALL TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2022
For the second successive season, Allee Gymnasium and the Rosen-Verdoorn Sports Center host the Great Plains Athletic Conference women’s basketball tournament championship. Top-seeded and regular-season champion Morningside University, ranked No. 6 on the latest National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics poll, faces third-seeded Dakota Wesleyan University. Mside is seeking its second straight and eighth all-time tournament title. DWU is aiming for its first league tournament championship in program history.
THE SERIES/GPAC TOURNEY HISTORY Morningside captured both regular-season tilts, winning 73-63 at home in midNovember and 70-64 at the Corn Palace less than two weeks ago. The Mustangs have a 35-9 all-time advantage over the Tigers. However, DWU has claimed seven of the previous 11 meetings. Dating back through 2016-17, the Mustangs are 7-4 in league tourney action, including five straight victories and the 2021 title. They have a 33-13 all-time conference tournament mark with championships in 2021, 2016, 2013, 2009, 2006, and 2004.
THE MATCH-UP Two of the league’s hottest teams take to the court tonight. Morningside has won seven in a row. Dakota Wesleyan has reeled off three in a row and captured eight of its last nine. Eight-tenths of a second Feb. 26, decided a spot in the 2022 GPAC tournament championship. Following a timeout and overtime seemingly looming in the offing, Mside put its game-winning plan into motion. “We ran that last sequence just like we wanted,” head coach Jamie Sale said. “It was designed to clear out the side and find Chloe (Lofstrom). She was able to get to the ball, and then Northwestern committed the foul. It was a nerve-wracking situation, but it worked out.” “At first, when I heard the whistle blow, I thought the game was over,” Lofstrom admitted. “However, the officials then said I was going to shoot two free throws. I knew I needed to make at least one because overtime would have been tough, so, after the first one didn’t go in, I just kept thinking, ‘I’ve got to do this for my team.’” Lofstrom’s second attempt did go gently through the net for a 73-72 Mustangs lead. Northwestern still had one more offensive attempt with four-tenths to go with the home crowd in bedlam. However, Morningside’s defense extinguished an attempted lob to post player Molly Schany as the clock ran out. Senior guard Sierra Mitchell led Mside’s scoring attack with 16 points and also dished out a team-leading seven assists. Junior guard McKenna Sims was next in line with 14 points which was the exact total for senior forward Taylor Rodenburgh, who hit on four-of-six three-point attempts highlighted by three in the first 20 minutes that thwarted NWC’s chances to grow leads. Senior forward Sophia Peppers added 12 points. Lofstrom, the late-game heroine, was only three points away from a doubledouble (seven points and ten rebounds).
Head coach Jason Christensen’s squad, improving to 25-7, held No. 21 Dordt University to 35.3% shooting and a staggering 1-of-16 from beyond the arc Feb. 26 en route to a commanding 69-59 victory at De Witt Gymnasium in Sioux Center. Senior center Jada Campbell notched a team-high 20 points, while DWU induced 11 Dordt turnovers. With the win, the Tigers embarked on their first conference championship game appearance since the 2018-19 campaign. Junior forward Matti Reiner, joining Campbell and senior guard Kaylee Kirk in double figures, recorded 13 points and seven rebounds as the Dakota Wesleyan offense shot 45.9% in the outing.
Morningside Mustangs 2 4 11 12 14 15 23 24 25 30 33 40 44
Olivia Boudreau Sierra Mitchell Madison Clayton McKenna Sims Abbe Morten Lauren Hedlund Taylor Rodenburgh Aspen Jansa Sophia Peppers Alexis Spier Hannah Harris Sadie Roth Chloe Lofstrom
G G G G G G G F F G G F/C F/C
So. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Jr. So.
5-9 5-7 5-8 5-8 5-8 5-7 5-9 5-8 5-11 5-7 5-8 6-0 6-0
Papillion, Neb. Pleasant, Hill, Iowa Sioux City, Iowa South Sioux City, Neb. Hartington, Neb. Albion, Neb. Hawarden, Iowa Wahoo, Neb. Exira, Iowa Gretna, Neb. Homer, Neb. Sioux Falls, S.D. Armstrong, Iowa
Head coach: Jamie Sale Assistant coaches: Jill Bodammer, Jordyn Wollenburg, Denny Lokken, Bryan Alfredson, Tenly Hansen
Dakota Wesleyan 2 4 10 12 14 20 22 24 30 32 34 40 42 44 50 52
Kaylee Kirk Aspen Hansen Rynn Osthus Vanessa Torres Morgan Edelman Mya Wilson Britney Lovre Grace Fryda Isabel Ihnen Adaya Plastow Matti Reiner Abbigail Magnuson Anna Campbell Jada Campbell Natalie Gottlob Lacey Sprakel
G G G G G G G G G G F F F C F F
Head coach: Jason Christensen Associate head coach: Celeste Beck Assistant coach: Taylor Vasa
Sr. So. Jr. So. Fr. So. So. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Fr.
5-5 5-10 5-9 5-6 5-6 5-3 5-6 5-8 5-7 5-7 5-10 6-1 5-11 6-4 6-0 5-10
Balaton, Minn. Dell Rapids, S.D. De Smet, S.D. Novato, Calif. Menno, S.D. Sioux Falls, S.D. Clear Lake, S.D. Lesterville, S.D. Lennox, S.D. Mitchell, S.D. Tripp, S.D. Buxton, N.D. Lead, S.D. Alexandria, S.D. Salem, S.D. Crofton, Neb.