DWU looking to protect the Palace as 5 of last 7 regular season games at home
Jan. 25—MITCHELL — If the Dakota Wesleyan University basketball teams are looking to move up in the conference standings before postseason play, they can do so by winning their home games.
Five of the last seven regular season games for DWU will be played at home, including a doubleheader against Dordt on Wednesday, Jan. 26. The women's game begins at 6 p.m., while the men's game is scheduled to begin shortly afterward at about 7:45 p.m.
All seven of the Tigers' final games are Great Plains Athletic Conference doubleheader matchups. After Wednesday night's home games against Dordt, DWU's basketball teams travel to Briar Cliff on Saturday, Jan. 29 and travel to Midland on Feb. 12.
Their remaining home games are against Jamestown on Feb. 2; vs. Northwestern on Feb. 9; vs. Morningside on Feb. 16; and vs. Concordia on Feb. 19.
The DWU women are 9-5 in the GPAC, holding an identical conference record with Dordt and Briar Cliff, behind only Morningside (13-1) and Northwestern (11-3).
The Tiger men are 6-7 in the conference, sitting in eighth place.
Here is a look at DWU's matchups vs. Dordt:
DWU women vs. Dordt
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26 at the Corn Palace
DWU, 17-5 overall, is averaging 71.3 points per game. The Tigers are 3-2 in their past five games, which includes an 86-82 win over Doane on Jan. 22 in their most recent action.
Matti Reiner leads Wesleyan in scoring at 13 points per game; Jada Campbell averages 11.8 points per game; and Kaylee Kirk has a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game.
Dordt (16-6, 9-5 GPAC) is on a nine-game win streak. Its most recent action was a 77-50 win over Midland on Jan. 22.
Dordt, averaging 74.3 points per game, is led by junior forward Ashtyn Veerbeek at 18.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Bailey Beckman (11.8 points) and Ethan native Karly Gustafson (11.2 points and 7.8 rebounds) are also regular contributors.
Dakota Wesleyan University won the first meeting between the teams this year, a 80-75 game on Dec. 11.
DWU men vs. Dordt
When: 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26 at the Corn Palace
Dordt is averaging 82.6 points per game headed into the matchup. The team has four players who average more than 10 points per game, including Bryce Coppock, a sophomore guard, at 18.1.
Jacob Vis averages 15.9 points and 7.9 rebounds; Cade Bleeker is at 12.7 points; and Luke Rankin, a freshman guard, averages 10.5 points per game. Dordt is 2-3 in its past five games, including a 77-63 win over Midland in its most recent action.
Dakota Wesleyan has won three of its past five, but fell to Doane 58-52 on Saturday, Jan. 22. The Tigers average 67.8 points per game, led by Koln Oppold at 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Jeffrey Schuch (10.7 points) and Nick Wittler (10.2 points) are also scoring threats.
