SEWARD, Neb. – The mix at the top of the conference has gotten murky, as Concordia continues a three game road stretch with Doane on Wednesday and Dordt on Saturday (Feb. 17). The Defenders escaped with a narrow victory (84-79) inside Friedrich Arena and the Bulldogs responded with their 20th win of the season against College of Saint Mary (106-59). Head Coach Drew Olson took his squad to the Corn Palace and fell in a tough bout (83-75) versus Dakota Wesleyan. Concordia has an overall record of 20-4 and 14-4 in the GPAC.
This Week
Wednesday, Feb. 14 at Doane (14-10, 9-9 GPAC), 6 p.m. CT
-- Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Haddix Center (Crete, Neb.)
Saturday, Feb. 17 at No. 1 Dordt (23-1, 18-0 GPAC), 4 p.m. CT
-- Max Country | Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: DeWitt Gymnasium (Sioux Center, Iowa)
By the numbers
· The No. 6 Bulldogs versus No. 1 Dordt was an old fashion slobber knocker, with the lead changing 19 times in 40 minutes. On a 12-game win streak, Concordia pushed the Defenders to the brink within a one possession game, which was won by the visitors at the free throw line. Dordt managed to escape despite scoring outbursts from Mackenzie Toomey (16) and Taysha Rushton (19). Powell downed 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting and snatched six rebounds plus three steals. The Bulldog blue and white dropped 20 treys for the second time this year, this time on CSM in a 47-point victory at home. Sammy Leu (13 points), Megan Belt (12 points) and Reece Snodgrass (12 points) accounted for 12 of the 20 from beyond the arc, scoring four apiece. This was the 15th time in 18 seasons that the program has hit that mark under Head Coach Drew Olson. After a slow start in the first quarter in Mitchell, S.D., the Bulldogs took a one point lead midway through the third. Not wanting to go down in front of their home fans, the Tigers responded with a 15-0 run to end the frame and eventually finish with a home upset. Four Concordia teammates finished with double digits and five rebounds apiece, including Rushton (19), Powell (16), Krieser (14) and Toomey (10).
· Rushton continues to vault up the all-time leaderboard for points scored and has landed at No. 4 (1,779) following this past week. The Monterey high school product had three double digit performances with 19, 13 and 19. She started the week at No. 8, and has passed Stephanie Schilke (1,736), Whitney Stichka (1,765), Kari Saving (1,773) and Quinn Wragge (1,776). No. 3 Sarah Harrison is now in the crosshairs of the Midland, Texas native, only 21 points (1,800) ahead. Rushton is tied for fourth (15.5) in points per game for the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
· Sadie Powell is on track to be the next 1,000 point scorer added to the Concordia Women’s Basketball history, as she has 947 as of today (Feb. 12). The John F. Kennedy High School product has dropped 274 points this year, while currently her best outing was her last, as a junior, scoring 311 points. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native has hit double digits 17 times this campaign. The Biology major matched her career high (21) at Jamestown on Jan. 3, almost a year to the date from the first 21.
· Dordt has a chance to lock up the No. 1 spot this week, but the following standings have a chance for movement in the last four games. Concordia (14-4) sits at No. 2 and Dakota Wesleyan (13-5) at No. 3, but having the Defenders left on both their schedules could make things interesting down the stretch. Briar Cliff (12-6) does not have one of the top four teams left on their last four games of the schedule but will have to hold off teams for the last host slot in the conference tournament. The last teams currently in the playoff are Jamestown (11-7), Northwestern (10-8), Morningside (10-8) and Doane (9-9).
Concordia Projected Starting Five
G – Mackenzie Toomey, 5-9 (5.5)
G – Taysha Rushton, 5-5 (15.2)
G – Abby Krieser, 5-8 (9.0)
F – Sadie Powell, 6-0 (11.2)
F – Kristin Vieselmeyer, 6-1 (5.7)
Doane
The Tigers will come out like a team backed into a corner, holding onto the last conference tournament spot with a 9-9 GPAC record and 14-10 overall. Doane is paced by Mak Hatcliff, the leading bucket maker in the conference, with 22.8 points per contest on almost 53 percent shooting. Hatcliff and Rylee Rice garner 6.8 and 5.3 rebounds per game. As a team, they average 77.1 points on 13.3 assists per 40 minutes. The Tigers allow 72.5 points at 41.4 percent to each opponent.
Doane Projected Starting Five
G – Macy Holtz, 5-7 (9.8)
G – Maddie Portwine, 5-10 (7.6)
G – Mak Hatcliff, 5-7 (22.8)
G – Rylie Rice, 5-9 (11.7)
F – Kaylee Klover, 5-10 (9.5)
Dordt
The ultra talented Defenders have stayed undefeated (18-0) in the conference and remain with their single loss (23-1) against South Dakota State University. The Bulldogs pushed Dordt like no team in the GPAC had last matchup, and if it is like last time, the team who has the ball last will have a good chance to win in this clash of NAIA titans. Dordt has scored 2,057 points, averaging 85.7 per contest and allows 60 a game, averaging a +25-point differential each game. Two different styles will step on the floor, as the Defenders shoot 47.1 percent from the field and pull down 46.2 rebounds (4th in NAIA) every 40 minutes. The points leader, Gracie Schoonhoven, comes off the bench scoring 13 a game and averaging almost two steals. Her sister, Janie Schoonhoven, collects 8.4 rebounds and double-digit (10.3) points as well. Macy Sievers is a stat stuffing machine, averaging 10.5 points, 6.8 assists, 5.7 rebounds and three steals per game.
Dordt Projected Starting Five
G – Macy Sievers, 5-8 (10.5)
G – Bailey Beckman, 5-3 (12.3)
G – Faith Van Holland, 5-7 (5.6)
F – Karly Gustafson, 6-0 (12.3)
F – Janie Schoonhoven, 5-10 (10.3)
Concordia will host its final two regular-season games, welcoming Hastings and Midland next week. The GPAC tournament will feature the top-8 teams and the quarterfinals are set to take place on Feb. 28 at the top-4 seeds home venues.