BELLEVUE, NEB. - Samantha Oase put together a double-double in her Blue Hawk debut, scoring 27 points on 10-11 shooting and gathering 11 rebounds to lead Dickinson State (1-0, 0-0 NSAA) to a decisive 69-55 victory over Bethany College (0-1, 0-0 KCAC).

DSU shot 7-13 in the first quarter, racing out to a quick 18-9 lead over the Swedes. Eight different Blue Hawks scored in the quarter as DSU had five assists on the seven made baskets. In the second quarter, Oase started to take over. She scored the first eight points of the quarter for the Blue Hawks to help DSU build a 26-14 lead with 6:55 left in the half. Three-pointers by Jenna Jacobson and Lindsay Peterson were followed up by four more points from Oase to make it 35-23 DSU. Peterson was fouled on a made lay-up with 46 seconds left in the half and made the ensuing free throw giving the Blue Hawks a 38-23 lead headed into the break.

In the third quarter, the Bethany pressure frustrated the Blue Hawks, causing seven DSU turnovers. Oase again got Dickinson State started in the quarter, scoring the first six points for DSU to maintain the 15-point cushion. Neither team connected from three in the quarter, but both teams thrived inside as Bethany shot 7-15 and DSU was 6-14. Back-to-back baskets by the Swedes in the last 20 seconds of the quarter cut the DSU lead to nine heading into the fourth quarter.

At the beginning of the fourth, the Blue Hawks were able to beat the Bethany pressure and went on a 7-0 run to stretch their lead back to 16 on a layup by Peterson with 7:16 left in the game. The Swedes never got within single digits again, as the Blue Hawks held strong to win the quarter, 16-11, and the game 69-55.

Peterson joined Oase in double-digits as she scored 17 points to go alongside her seven rebounds. Jenna Jacobson went 2-2 from three for six points as the Blue Hawks had ten different players score in the game. DSU outshot Bethany 48.1% to 29.2% and outrebounded them 52-35. "I thought our girls played really hard and played really well on defense." said head coach Eric Nelson. "We turned the ball over too much but we made enough plays down the stretch to win. Great team win and we look forward to playing again tomorrow."

WHATS NEXT

The Blue Hawks will return to action in Bellevue tomorrow, October 29, when they take on Midland Lutheran College at 12 pm MT.