SEWARD, Neb. – Megan Belt and the Dawgs splashed for 15 treys from beyond the arc taking a dominant 74-55 victory over the visiting Lancers on Wednesday (Jan. 15). Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Basketball forced a pesky 20 Mount Marty turnovers seizing 26 extra points via the stops. Belt dropped a new career high 18 points on 6-for-9 from beyond the arc.
The Bulldogs look to build on the win as they move up to an 8-9 overall and 5-8 in the GPAC.
“Defensively, we were really in tune to what we were trying to do,” said Head Coach Drew Olson. “Our press and pace were good. I kept telling them. Get down hill. Get to the lane and look for kickbacks. It always helps when you make shots. Megan Belt was pretty special and a lot of people came in to add to it. It was a great game. We’ve got good goals here going forward. This was step one of it.”
After Kendal Brigham and Belt made two 3-pointers apiece to build a 16-13 lead in the opening quarter, the home team put 25 in the bucket in the second. Seven different players added to the tally with Sammy Leu (six) and Belt (six) continuing to hit from three-point land.
With a 41-26 advantage at the break, Concordia clamped down on defense, forcing seven turnovers and swiping six steals in the 3rd frame. Five Bulldogs would finish with two steals apiece: Brigham, Raelyn Kelty, Abby Krieser, Leu and Kristin Vieselmeyer. Kelty powered a 9-0 scoring drive via a bucket, two rebounds, a steal and a block surging the Dawgs up 21 (50-29).
“It was great,” said Belt. “We have been working so hard and really working to get the wins. Hopefully, we can keep stringing them along. We were sharing the ball really well and were hitting open shots. Defensively, we were getting up in the press and playing solid team defense. My teammates were doing a really good job of screening and getting me the ball. I was just shooting and being confident.”
Concordia’s 15 treys set the second highest of the season to the high 18 versus Waldorf. The Dawgs shot 41.7 percent (15-for-36) from three-point range and 43.5 percent (27-for-62) from the field. The two teams deadlocked at 37 rebounds but CUNE saw the floor well slinging 18 total assists.
The Wahoo High alums posted double figures, Leu (11) and Brigham (10), and the Wahoo native, Brigham, dished out five assists. Abby Heemstra (eight points, 6 rebounds) and Kelty (seven points, seven rebounds) put in work on the block. Krieser added seven points and three assists.
Mount Marty (8-10, 2-10) were paced by Kaela Martinez (18) and Sidney Thue (11) in points. The Lancers shot 33.3 (17-for-51) in field goal percentage and made 85 percent (17-for-20) from the free throw line.
Concordia (8-9, 5-8 GPAC) will stay in Seward to host its next opponent Northwestern (12-6, 8-4 GPAC) this Saturday. The contest is set for 2 p.m. CT at Friedrich Arena. The Bulldogs defeated the Red Raiders in both games last year and have a 9-2 record in the past five years.
Olson said, “We have some big games coming up and our team is really confident because of what we have done throughout the season and just how we have stayed together. There is a toughness that we have grown and now getting that win helps relieve a little bit but we believe in ourselves. We know we are a good basketball team.”