Women's Basketball Knock Off Top-Ranked Dordt

CRETE, Neb. — Doane delivered one of the biggest wins in recent program history Saturday afternoon at the Haddix Center, knocking off No. 1 Dordt 73–68 in overtime behind a career performance from Mattea Kassebaum and a series of momentum-shifting defensive stands. The victory marked the Tigers' first win over a top-ranked opponent in more than two decades and halted the Defenders' unbeaten start to the season.

Kassebaum powered Doane (3–6, 1–4 GPAC) with 26 points and 10 rebounds, scoring in every quarter and sparking several second-half surges that pulled the Tigers back from an early double-digit deficit. Dordt (8–1, 4–1) led by as many as 12 late in the second quarter before Doane trimmed the margin to 36–28 at halftime.

The third quarter proved pivotal. Kassebaum scored four quick points, and Rylie Rice added a pair of 3-pointers as the Tigers outscored the Defenders 16–9 to tie the game entering the fourth. Doane forced five Dordt turnovers in the period and held the nation's top-ranked team to 0-for-5 from beyond the arc, flipping the momentum and energizing the home crowd.

Doane grabbed its first substantial lead midway through the fourth when Megan Chambers converted back-to-back baskets in the lane, pushing the margin to 57–51 with 7:38 left—Doane's largest lead of the day. But Dordt responded with a late push led by Gracie Schoonhoven, who finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. The Defenders took the lead with 1.4 seconds remaining on a Macy Sievers jumper. Following a Tiger timeout and advancement of the inbounds, Keeleigh Knobbe found Megan Chambers under the basket for a game-tying buzzer beater to force overtime tied at 62-all.

In the extra period, both teams scored on two different possessions, each converting a layup and two free throws. With the score tied at 66, Doane took their first lead of the extra period on a Knobbe free throw. She would sink three free throws down the stretch and Kassebaum assisted on a key basket by Chambers as Doane outscored Dordt 11–6 in overtime. Chambers closed with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Rice added 13 points and seven boards. Ella Johnson contributed seven rebounds and three assists in a strong two-way effort.

Defensively, the Tigers frustrated Dordt throughout the second half. Doane recorded five blocks, seven steals, and forced 19 turnovers, turning those mistakes into 14 points. Kassebaum tallied four steals, and Knobbe added two blocks—including one midway through the third quarter that stopped a Dordt transition opportunity and set up a Rice 3-pointer on the other end.

Doane also controlled key moments at the foul line, converting 16 of 23 free-throw attempts, while the Tigers' rebounding presence kept possessions alive late. The Tigers outscored Dordt 34–32 in the paint and posted 19 second-chance points, a decisive factor against the NAIA's top team. 

With the upset, Doane secured its first GPAC win of the season and handed Dordt its first loss. The Tigers return to action next week against Saint Mary on Wednesday, December 10, seeking to build on the victory.

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