Women's Basketball Upsets No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan
Hastings, NE – The Hastings College women’s basketball team just stunned the NAIA by upsetting No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan 74-70 on Wednesday afternoon inside the Corn Palace.
Hastings, NE – The Hastings College women's basketball team just stunned the NAIA by upsetting No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan 74-70 on Wednesday afternoon inside the Corn Palace.
It seemed as though the Tigers had fended off this feisty Hastings College squad when Mattie Reiner connected on a jumper to make it 56-46 with 8:48 to go in the game. But the Lady Broncos showed the same fight they had the night before.
Mariyah Avila got things rolling with a three but DWU countered with a three from Rynn Osthus. Hastings would not waiver as Allison Bauer drained one of her three three-pointers to make it 59-52 with 6:49 to go. Following a free throw from the Tigers, Bauer buried a jumper to get the Lady Broncos to within six points.
Then Olivia Kugler made two free throws and Hastings was within two points with 5:49 remaining. After the Tigers got a bucket from Reiner but Bauer came right back with another three to make it 62-61 with 4:26 to go. The Hastings defense stepped up and forced a turnover and came down getting a three from Kuglar to put HC back on top 64-62 with 3:17 to go. DWU came right back with a three from Reiner as the Tigers called a timeout with 2:54 left to play.
The teams would then trade free throws and then Dakota Wesleyan turned the ball over as Katharine Hamburger picked up the steal. On the ensuing possession, Hamburger drained a three from the top of the key as she punched her fist in the air as she put Hastings up 69-67 with :55 to go.
Isabel Ihnen would get fouled by Hamburger but she would only make one of two free throws as Hastings called a timeout to advance the ball. There they got the ball to Kienan Paulk where she would get fouled and calmly make both free throws to make it 71-68. DWU had a chance to cut into the deficit but Ihnen missed her jumper as Avila pulled down the rebound. Kuglar ended up with the ball and she would get fouled and make both of her attempts.
The Tigers did pick up a bucket from Jada Campbell but Avila made one of her free throws to put the game away as Hastings earned its first win in the Corn Palace since Jan. of 2020.
Kuglar led the way with a career high 19 points on 5-of-10 shooting, 3-for-4 from downtown and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the line. Bauer added 15 points off the bench as she shot 4-for-9 but was 3-for-6 from behind the arc and a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Hamburger finished with 12 points as she was 4-for-6 from behind the arc as she also pulled down seven boards while Avila added 11 points as she was 3-for-6 from behind the arc. Carley Leners finished with eight points.
The Lady Broncos shot 38.6 percent (22-for-57) but hit 52 percent (13-for-25) from downtown and was also 85 percent (17-for-20) from the charity stripe. DWU shot 44.8 percent (26-for-58) and 47.8 percent (11-for-23) from behind the arc. Hastings also edged the Tigers on the boards 38-to-36
Hastings improves to 5-4 (3-2) on the year and will be back in action Wednesday Dec. 7 hitting the road to take on Midland with tipoff set for 6:00 pm in Fremont, NE.
