Buzzer-beater lifts Lady T's over DWU in OT
By Dan Holsworth, Madison Daily Leader (Madison, SD) - With single swish into the DSU Fieldhouse's south basket, Dakota State Lady T's snapped a five-game losing string on Tuesday. Katie Bourk's buzzer-beating shot at the end of overtime lifted the Lady T's over Dakota Wesleyan 72-71. Bourk's game-winner gave her 12 points for the night. "It was definitely a good feeling to 'get the monkey off our backs', but we really had to work for it," said DSU Coach Joe Reints. As for Bourk's climatic shot, Reints added, "We got her the ball, and she created the situation to get the ball into the hoop. In these kinds of situations, coaching is overrated. We just let her do her job."
Five seconds earlier, Dakota Wesleyan took a 71-70 lead when Ashley Mailey converted a field goal. DSU (2-5) had a slim 24-22 edge at halftime, but Dakota Wesleyan outscored the Lady T's 39-37 in the second half to tie the game at 61-61 at the end of regulation play. Bourk's last-second heroics overshadowed a career-high 35-point performance by DWU's Allison Johnson. Johnson made 10 of the Lady Tiger's 25 field goals on 10-for-17 shooting. DWU's next-highest scorer was Maggie Malloy, who had nine points, and Sarah Mortenson added 8 counters.
It was also a career night for the Lady T's Tricia Boldt, who double-double of 21 points and 19 rebounds led DSU in both departments. Boldt's two free throws as time expired in overtime made the score 61-61, sending the game into overtime. The Lady T's also got double-figures scoring from Alyssa Kirk and Megan Swecker, who had respective 15- and 10-point scoring nights. All of Kirk's points came from beyond the 3-point arc. DSU's 16-36 field goal shooting in the second half and overtime helped erase the memory of the Lady T's less than spectacular 27-percent (10-37) first-half shooting display. The Lady T's and Dakota Wesleyan each claimed 50 rebounds. Dayna Tschakert added 9 rebounds to Boldt's 19 rebounds. Mortenson led the Lady Tigers off the boards with 12 rebounds, while Ashley Mailey swiped 7 rebounds.
