Dubuque, Iowa – The Tigers opened the 2024 NAIA Women’s Basketball Championships in a big way in the first round against the Rust College Bearcats. Rylee Rosenquist led all scorers with her new career high 36 points to get past Rust. After having a 15 points lead in the second quarter, the Bearcats would cut that lead back within four before halftime. DWU kept their cool after Rust came out with a full court press and were able to make shots when it counted. The Tigers made 33 of their 38 free throw attempts with Morgan Edelman going a perfect 10 for 10 from the line and Rosenquist only missing one of her 13 attempts. Dakota Wesleyan would add onto their halftime lead in both the third and fourth quarters to come out on top with the 86-75 victory. Four Tigers scored in double digits and the team shot 56% from the floor and 62% from beyond the arc.
Highlighted Player – Rylee Rosenquist 36 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Stat Leaders:
Points – Rylee Rosenquist 36 pts
Assists – Rylee Rosenquist 4 ast
Rebounds – Emma Yost 8
Blocks – Shalayne Nagel 2
Recap – The Tigers were able to keep pace with the fast-moving Bearcat offense throughout the first quarter, getting their first bucket to drop as Rylee Rosenquist made a baseline drive and reverse layup. DWU and Rust kept it close seeing ten lead changes and ties before Rosenquist went on a personal 6-0 run to close the quarter. Lacy Sprakel and Emma Yost added a spark to the offense with dishing out assists, getting rebounds, and scoring late in the shot clock. Tigers ended the first quarter with a 19-13 lead.
The second quarter was the Rosenquist show and she continued scoring at will. DWU saw huge support from their bench in Anna Campbell and Sprakel as the two combined for nine points in the second quarter and Mya Wilson was all over the floor on the defensive end. With three minutes left, the Tigers saw their biggest lead of the night with 15 points after going on a twelve to nothing run capped off by a Campbell triple. The Rust Bearcats weren’t backing down and clawed their way back within six before the halftime buzzer, making it a 40-34 Tiger’s lead.
DWU opened the third quarter with a Yost and one play that into a minute long possession for the Tigers as they collect a pair of offensive rebounds. Rosenquist kept the Bearcats on their toes as she looked to attack and was able to find open teammates for easy buckets. Shalayne Nagel may not have been an offensive threat but made her presence known on the defensive side of the court as she blocked back-to-back shot attempts halfway through the third. Maleighya Estes played crucial minutes throughout the game and in the third quarter, ripped down her career high sixth rebound. Tigers went into the final quarter with a 59-51 lead.
Rust fought back within three points after some costly DWU turnovers due to do the Bearcat full court pressure. Rosenquist took over in the closing minutes and took the ball the length of the floor to get DWU into their offense and was able to get to the rim on several occasions, breaking her previous career high with a layup in the paint. The fourth quarter was a free throw shootout for the Tigers as 17 of their 27 points came from the charity stripe. Rosenquist and Edelman shot a combined 15 of 15 from the line to keep the Tigers out in front late. Behind clutch free throws, the Tigers were able to defeat Rust 86-75 to move onto Round Two of the 2024 NAIA Women’s Basketball Championship. DWU outrebounded Rust 34 to 21 and shot 10% better from the floor.
Head-to-Head (Rust College)
In the first meeting of these two programs, the Tigers get the win behind a career high performance from Rylee Rosenquist.
Up Next for the Tigers –
Dakota Wesleyan will face the defending national champion Clarke University in round two tomorrow evening at 5:30 in Dubuque, Iowa.