Courtesy of Midland Athletics
MITCHELL, S.D. – Midland University traveled to South Dakota on Sunday afternoon to take on Dakota Wesleyan University in a Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) matchup inside the World’s Only Corn Palace. The Tigers showcased their dominance right from the start, using a 20-3 opening quarter as they went on to earn an 82-44 victory over the Warriors.
Dakota Wesleyan set the stage early on, opening up the first quarter with a 13-2 run, leaving Midland searching for an offensive spark. Emma Shepard aimed to revitalize the Warriors as she opened the second quarter with a layup. However, the Tigers extended their lead with another extended run, this time an 11-2 stretch. The teams engaged in a back-and-forth exchange of baskets as the half drew to a close. The Tigers closed out the second with a 6-0 run and took a substantial lead into halftime, 42-18.
After the intermission, both teams engaged in a point-for-point exchange to kick off the third quarter. The Tigers, who routinely play inspired basketball in front of their home crowd, continued to widen the gap with a 12-4 run. Kennedy Darner interrupted the Warriors’ quiet spell with a three-pointer which was then complemented by a layup from Asia Bryant, as Midland concluded the third quarter with a 5-2 run.
In the final ten minutes, Dakota Wesleyan continued to augment the score, initiating the fourth quarter with a 9-4 run. As the clock ticked down, the teams traded baskets, ultimately leading to an 82-44 victory for the Tigers.
Sarah Shepard was the lone Warrior in double digits scoring with 10 points. Jenna Weber followed with seven while Kennedy Darner and Frankie Klausen each finished with six points.
Points in the paint and off of turnovers were two key stats for the Tigers. They held a 46 to 16 advantage inside and scored 23 points off of 20 turnovers by the Warriors. For the game, Midland shot 15-of-48 (31.3%) while Dakota Wesleyan was 33-of-66 (50%).
Midland (5-15, 2-12 GPAC) will travel to Sioux City, Iowa to take on Briar Cliff (13-7, 8-6) next. The Warriors and Chargers will tip off at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 31 inside the Newman Flanigan Center.
