MITCHELL, S.D. — Dakota Wesleyan turned a tight first-half battle into a home win on Saturday afternoon, outscoring Hastings by 19 points over the final two quarters for a 95–77 GPAC victory at the World’s Only Corn Palace.
The No. 19 Tigers improved to 19-4 overall and 15-2 in conference play, while Hastings fell to 16-7, 12-5 GPAC.
Hastings came out sharp early, hitting three triples in the opening quarter and taking a 25–19 lead after one. The Broncos continued to push the pace in the second quarter and briefly held a six-point edge before Dakota Wesleyan began to find its rhythm.
A late second-quarter surge — highlighted by inside scoring and a key three from Isabelle Ellwein — helped DWU take a 41–40 halftime lead, setting the stage for a dominant second half.
The Tigers seized control in the third quarter, opening with a Rylee Rosenquist three-pointer and using a balanced attack to outscore Hastings 28–17 in the period. Dakota Wesleyan shot efficiently, controlled the glass, and forced turnovers that led to transition points, stretching the lead to 69–59 heading into the fourth.
Dakota Wesleyan put the game away early in the final quarter, opening on a 12–2 run and building its largest lead of the afternoon. The Tigers never let Hastings get closer than 16 points the rest of the way.
Four Tigers scored in double figures, led by Avery Broughton, who poured in a game-high 25 points on 9-of-11 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and five blocks. Emma Yost added 24 points and six rebounds, while Rylee Rosenquist finished with 22 points and eight assists. Maleighya Estes chipped in nine points and nine rebounds off the bench.
Dakota Wesleyan shot 52 percent from the field, dominated the boards 43–25, and recorded 21 assists on 38 made baskets.
Hastings was paced by McKenna Yates with 21 points, while Mariyah Avila scored 18 and Bailey Kissinger added 13. The Broncos shot 40 percent overall but were held to just 6-of-23 from three-point range.
The win keeps Dakota Wesleyan firmly in the GPAC title race as the regular season winds down. The Tigers are just a half game behind first place Dordt in the conference with just five games remaining in the regular season.
DWU is back in action on Sunday, Feb. 8 at Doane at Noon.