Dakota Wesleyan overwhelms William Penn in 54-point rout

The gap between the two teams was apparent within the first minute of play. Dakota Wesleyan University, ranked No. 2 in preseason polls, built a lead that never wavered against William Penn University, a nine-player roster from Oskaloosa, Iowa. The final score was 93-39, a 54-point victory that set the tone for the inaugural CorTrust Classic at the Corn Palace in Mitchell.

The Tigers controlled the game through sheer volume and efficiency. They outscored the Statesmen 56-18 in the first 20 minutes. By the end of the third quarter, DWU led 81-26. William Penn, which finished last season with seven wins, was held to 22.2 percent shooting in the first half and committed 18 turnovers for the game.

Coach Jason Christensen noted that his team had limited preparation for a zone defense because William Penn had not yet played a game. Despite this, the veteran squad relied on established offensive sets. The Tigers worked inside and found open cutters for easy shots. This strategy resulted in 30 assists for DWU, compared to 11 for William Penn.

Emma Yost led the scoring with 16 points. She made seven of her nine shots in 15 minutes on the court. Avery Orth and Isabelle Ellwein added 12 points each. Shalayne Nagel scored 10 points. Skyler Volmer contributed nine points and led the team with eight rebounds in her first official game as a Tiger after transferring from the University of North Dakota. A total of 14 Tigers found the scoring column.

The defensive effort was consistent with DWU's performance in the 2025-26 season. The Tigers, who went 29-7 last year and reached the national semifinals, held 11 opponents to under 50 points. In this game, they outrebounded William Penn 45 to 17 and outscored the visitors 50-18 in the paint. They also dominated second-chance opportunities, scoring 19 points on those chances while allowing none.

Christensen said the goal was to control both ends of the floor. He observed that the players called sets that had not yet been formally introduced in practice. The execution appeared natural despite the lack of extensive preparation. The bench rotation kept the energy high, as the lead continued to grow in the second half.

For William Penn, the loss came under first-year head coach Dewitt Mandley. Reagan Pavesi led the Statesmen with 12 points. Laney Parker and Aliya Wagamon each scored 10 points. Pavesi also recorded five assists and four rebounds. The team shot 15-for-52 from the field and 5-for-10 from the free throw line.

Both teams remain in action at the Corn Palace. Dakota Wesleyan (1-0) plays Valley City State at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. William Penn (0-1) faces No. 10 Concordia of Nebraska at 1 p.m. Saturday. Valley City State defeated Concordia 112-69 in the early women's game on Saturday.

The box score shows the disparity in shooting efficiency. DWU shot 40-for-72 from the field, including 8-for-25 from beyond the arc. William Penn shot 15-for-52 from the field, including 4-for-17 from three-point range. DWU had 10 steals and seven blocks, while William Penn recorded seven steals and two blocks.