Tigers use strong start in win over Flames
OMAHA, Neb. – Dakota Wesleyan University started the game on a 13-0 run and never looked back in a win over College of Saint Mary Sunday.
The Tigers beat CSM 92-47 in the Great Plains Athletic Conference contest. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday but road conditions moved the game to Sunday.
"We got off to another really sluggish start," CSM Coach Kirk Walker said. "I have to find a way to better prepare our team and figure out how we can be in sync more and utilize our strengths together.
"Dakota Wesleyan is a really physical team and one of the top teams in the country. They really took advantage when we turned it over."
The Tigers forced 28 CSM turnovers and scored 43 points off those turnovers. DWU had 13 turnovers. The Tigers won the rebounding margin 42 to 23. DWU shot 51 percent in the game, 48 percent from 3-point range and 88 percent from the charity stripe. CSM was 38 percent, 47 percent and 44 percent, respectively.
Tia Murray led the Flames with 11 points and four rebounds. Skye Giddings canned 10 points, Madison Camden tossed in nine and Chainey Thompson added six.
"We have to find a way to get the ball inside in a more timely manner to Sid and Tia and play inside out and then be able to hit shots," Walker said. "Skye had a good offensive game and was aggressive looking to score. Defensively, we played with a lot of energy to start the third quarter and we need to find a way to bring that at the start of games."
The Flames are now 0-10 in the GPAC and 1-14 overall. DWU is now 7-3, 12-4.
College of Saint Mary returns to action Wednesday with a 6 p.m. conference showdown at Doane University. The Flames Dance Team will compete against Doane during halftime of that contest.