Mitchell, S.D. – Dakota Wesleyan women’s basketball did not disappoint in their 2023-24 GPAC home opener with their 97-58 blowout win against Doane University in which they never trailed. The win marks 19 straight wins against Doane for DWU. Dakota Wesleyan was led by Isabel Ihnen who had a season-high 21 points in the contest. Morgan Edelman also had a season-high 17 points to go with a game-high seven rebounds. Emma Yost had 12 points and was dishing out dimes all night with her season-high seven assists. Dakota Wesleyan had great ball movement and spacing all night resulting in their 23 assists. The DWU defense was active all night forcing 22 turnovers and had four players with 2+ steals in the game.
Highlighted Player– Isabel Ihnen ~ 21 points 3 steals 2 blocks
Stat Leaders:
Points – Isabel Ihnen (21)
Assists – Emma Yost (7)
Rebounds – Morgan Edelman (7)
Blocks – Isabel Ihnen (2)
Steals – Isabel Ihnen & Mya Wilson (3)
Recap – DWU opened action in the first quarter with an early 11-2 lead getting offensive production from their veterans in Isabel Ihnen with five and Morgan Edelman with four during the stretch. DWU came out in a full court press and forced three early turnovers, turning each turnover into points. Doane found their groove on both ends of the floor responding to make it a five-point game. Dakota Wesleyan slightly grew on that lead, closing out the quarter with a 26-19 lead. Both teams shot over 50% in the quarter, but the difference was the points off turnovers and second chance points which DWU edged DU 13-6.
Dakota Wesleyan kept their defense amped up in the second quarter with back-to-back quarters of holding Doane to under 20 points with their 13 in the second. Dakota Wesleyan won the quarter 24-13 thanks to forcing six turnovers, bringing the total to 11. DWU turned those 11 turnovers into 21 points during the quarter and at one-point grabbed their biggest lead of the contest at 20 with 1:03 left in the half. Dakota Wesleyan got big offensive production from Ihnen who was in double figures with 13 followed by Yost with nine and Edelman with eight.
Dakota Wesleyan in the second half had similar third and fourth quarters holding Doane to 13 in both quarters and for a third straight quarter. DWU offense also stayed consistent scoring 23 in the third and 24 in the fourth. DWU finished the game with 34 points off turnovers compared to Doane’s nine. Dakota Wesleyan shot an efficient 52.9% in the game and lit it up from three-point land with their 12 three-pointers and shooting 52.2%. DWU had four players in double figures points with Ihnen leading with 21, Edelman with 17, Yost with 12 and Lacey Sprakel adding 10 points off the bench.
Head-to-Head (Doane)
- The Tigers are 29-12 all-time against Doane with tonight’s win.
- DWU has now won 19 games in a row against DU.
Up Next
- Dakota Wesleyan women’s basketball is back at the Corn Palace tomorrow, November 18 for a matchup against the Hastings Broncos with tipoff at 1 p.m.