Fourth Quarter Outburst Downs Women's Basketball

CRETE, Neb. — No. 10 Concordia used a decisive fourth-quarter surge to pull away from Doane Women's Basketball Wednesday night, handing the Tigers an 84-59 GPAC setback at the Haddix Center.

Doane (8-11, 6-9 GPAC) trailed 43-32 at halftime and stayed within striking distance after the break, trimming the margin to 10 late in the third quarter. The Bulldogs (18-5, 13-4 GPAC) answered with timely shooting and pressure defense, outscoring the Tigers 24-9 in the fourth to turn a 10-point game into a 25-point final.

Concordia's balanced attack was paced by Bree Bunting and Raelyn Kelty with 19 points apiece, while Ayla Roth added 14 points, six rebounds and four assists. The Bulldogs connected on 13 three-pointers and finished at 49.2% from the field.

Mattea Kassebaum led Doane with 14 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double, adding three assists. Keeleigh Knobbe scored 10 points and Ella Johnson finished with 10 points. Megan Chambers added eight points and seven rebounds as Doane won the rebounding battle 39-35, but Concordia's 15 steals forced 22 Tiger turnovers that turned into 20 points on the other end.

After Concordia opened the night with an early run, Doane responded behind points in the paint and second-chance opportunities to keep the first half competitive. The Tigers' defense created 10 steals and limited fast-break chances, but Concordia's perimeter shooting and late-quarter execution created separation.

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