ORANGE CITY, Iowa – In its biggest road test so far this season, the Concordia University, Nebraska Women’s Basketball team did a lot more than simply earn a passing grade. Freshman Ayla Roth proved ready for primetime as the 11th-ranked Bulldogs beat Northwestern soundly, 88-66, in Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday (Nov. 22). Roth poured in a game-high 19 points and the Concordia pressure yielded 22 turnovers.
Head Coach Drew Olson will have to wait at least one more outing to see how his team responds to a tight late-game situation. The Bulldogs moved to 7-0 with each win coming by a margin of at least 21 points.
“We came with great confidence and toughness,” Olson said. “We had a lot of people step up in different moments. We had a few players who really played well throughout the game. Ayla was fantastic. She kind of controlled the game when she was in. I thought Bree (Bunting) stepped up and hit a couple big plays in the second half. Sammy (Leu) and Rae (Raelyn Kelty) were great. That’s a great win on the road against a really good team. Kristin (Vieselmeyer) was in foul trouble and we still find a way to win by 22.”
A tight and entertaining opening quarter gave way to a run that ceded control to Concordia. A 15-2 surge to open the second period ballooned the Bulldog lead to 39-23. The stretch included five Red Raider turnovers and a trey apiece from Concordia’s Savi Butterfield, Roth and Raelyn Kelty. Northwestern did manage to climb back within nine (48-39) in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs always had an answer.
Depth and balance have been a theme for many of Olson’s highest achieving teams. This Concordia edition is hoping to put itself in that category. No Bulldog played more than 26 minutes on Saturday, but Roth stood out with her assertiveness and fearlessness as a rookie on the road. The Milford native’s stat line included four assists, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. She made 7-of-15 shots from the floor.
The addition of Roth combined with the progression of the current junior class has made for a killer backcourt. Both Leu (11) and Bunting (10) reached double figures – so too did Kelty, who collected 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting from the floor. The Concordia backcourt dictated the terms and pace of play of this contest. A plus-11 turnover margin (and 44-41 rebound edge) led to the Bulldogs getting 16 more shot attempts than Northwestern.
Said Olson, “It was an incredible team effort. Defensively, we kept the energy and kept flying around. Everyone came in and did their part … When you keep pressuring like that, good things are going to happen. We have such great length and our depth can keep that pressure going. Jocelyn (Bassett) is someone who doesn’t get a ton of minutes, but when she’s in there, that energy level rises. She’s doing an awesome job too. Just a great team effort.”
The Red Raiders (4-2, 1-2 GPAC) are hardly the first team to be stressed by the Concordia press and tenacious halfcourt zone defense. At one point in the first half, Northwestern went more than seven minutes without scoring a point. Allison Piercy paced the Red Raiders with 14 points. They shot 41.3 percent (26-for-63) as a team. Three days earlier, Northwestern fell in a heart stopper, 73-71, at No. 1 Dordt.
Further contributions for the Bulldogs came from Gabrielle Wagner and Butterfield with seven points apiece off the bench. JJ Jones posted five points, four assists and three steals. Makynna Robbins (five rebounds) and Vieselmeyer added six points each.
The pre-Thanksgiving schedule continues this coming Tuesday with a trip to Yankton, S.D., for a 6 p.m. CT matchup with Mount Marty (6-1, 2-1 GPAC). Picked eighth in the GPAC preseason poll, the Lancers won an overtime clash, 86-83, at Morningside in Saturday’s action.