HONOLULU — No. 10 Dakota Wesleyan delivered one of the most impressive wins of its season Friday, rolling past No. 3 Campbellsville (Ky.) 83-55 in women’s basketball action at the Shark Tank in Honolulu.
The Tigers (9-4) controlled the game from the opening tip, never trailing and building a commanding advantage with balanced scoring, dominant rebounding and steady defense. Dakota Wesleyan led 26-13 after the first quarter, took a 43-33 edge into halftime, and then pulled away for good with a decisive fourth quarter.
Avery Broughton led all scorers with 25 points while pulling down a game-high 16 rebounds to pace Dakota Wesleyan. Emma Yost added 14 points and four assists, while Rylee Rosenquist chipped in 12 points and four rebounds. Off the bench, Taliyah Hayes provided a major spark, scoring 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including five 3-pointers.
Dakota Wesleyan dominated the glass, out-rebounding Campbellsville 51-23, and turned those extra possessions into a 16-4 advantage in second-chance points. The Tigers also held a significant edge from beyond the arc, shooting 43.8 percent (7-of-16) compared to Campbellsville’s 26.7 percent.
Campbellsville (14-1) was led by Dea Bradley, who scored 25 points, and Whitney Hay, who finished with 17. The rest of the Tigers struggled to find offense, as Campbellsville shot just 35 percent from the field for the game.
The contest tightened briefly in the third quarter, with Campbellsville cutting the margin to 44-37 early, but Dakota Wesleyan responded with timely baskets and free throws to regain control. The Tigers then slammed the door in the fourth quarter, outscoring Campbellsville 25-8 over the final 10 minutes.
Dakota Wesleyan finished the game shooting 44 percent from the field and made 30 free throws.
The Tigers return home to take on Northwestern on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 5 pm at the Corn Palace.