OMAHA, Neb. — Dickinson State made the decisive plays in the closing minutes Saturday, rallying to defeat Cottey College 67-63 at the Chick-fil-A Classic and complete a 2-0 opening weekend under first-year head coach Keithan Gregg.
The Blue Hawks (2-0) built a 12-point first-quarter lead before Cottey (0-2) battled back to take a 49-46 advantage into the fourth. Dickinson State responded by outscoring the Comets 21-14 in the final period, closing the game on a 9-3 run to secure the victory.
"Really proud of the group for a gutsy win on the tail end of a back to back," Gregg said. "We had multiple people step up throughout the weekend and meet the moment."
Dickinson State started quickly behind Kaylin Garza, who knocked down two early 3-pointers. The Blue Hawks shot 69.2% from the field in the opening quarter, connecting on nine of 13 attempts to build a 24-12 lead.
Cottey answered with a strong second quarter, outscoring Dickinson State 22-12 to cut the deficit to 36-34 at halftime. The Comets carried that momentum into the third, eventually moving ahead by five points before taking a three-point advantage into the final period.
Karson Tempel opened the fourth with a 3-pointer to tie the game at 49, setting the stage for a back-and-forth finish. Cottey eventually regained a 60-58 lead with 3:15 remaining, but Makena Hauge grabbed an offensive rebound and converted two free throws to even the score. J'Elle Garfield followed with a steal and basket to put Dickinson State ahead before the Comets tied it again.
Ava Robinson gave the Blue Hawks the lead for good with two free throws at the 1:43 mark. After Cottey pulled within one, Izzy Kelly connected on a jumper off an assist from Jirah Villanueva with 54 seconds remaining to extend the lead to 66-63. Kelly added a free throw, and Dickinson State held Cottey scoreless the rest of the way.
Hauge continued her strong start to the season, pulling down a career-high 14 rebounds just one day after scoring a career-best 18 points against Haskell Indian Nations. She added nine points, three blocks and two assists Saturday, establishing a career high in a different statistical category in each game of the opening weekend.
Villanueva, Garfield and Kelly led Dickinson State with 10 points apiece. Villanueva added four assists and two steals, while Kelly shot 4-of-5 from the field. Tempel, Garza and Robinson each contributed eight points.
The Blue Hawks held a 42-40 rebounding advantage, including 17 offensive boards that helped generate 16 second-chance points. Dickinson State also recorded seven blocks and committed just nine turnovers while shooting 39.1% from the field.
Gabrielle Burrus led Cottey with 14 points, including three 3-pointers, while Akyria James and Makenzie Haynes added 10 apiece.
"Just really excited for the team and looking forward to what we can accomplish together," Gregg said.
Dickinson State returns to action Friday, Nov. 6, against the University of Mary in New Town, N.D. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Mountain.
