Dordt Drops Double OT Heartbreaker At Elite 8

(Point Lookout, MO) -- The Dordt College Defender men's basketball season came to a close in the quarterfinal round of the NAIA Division II Men's National Basketball Tournament at the College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri. The Defenders lost an 82-76 double overtime decision to the no. 2 seeded Cardinal Stritch Wolves.

Dordt led briefly in the first half when they scored on a basket by Chris Sievers and a pair of free throws by Austin Katje for a 12-8 lead with 15:01 left in the half. Stritch responded with six points in a row and led the rest of the half, taking a 29-24 lead into the lockerroom.

The Wolves scored the first two points of the second half and fought off an initial run by the Defenders that trimmed the gap to 36-35 on an Austin Katje three-point basket with 14:26 left in regulation. Dordt would eventually tie it at 43, 45 and 48 a piece and the teams were deadlocked at 50-50 with 6:52 remaining.

With 1:40 remaining the Defenders found themselves down 59-52 as Stritch went on a seven point run. A three-point basket by Nathan Rindels kept Dordt alive and after a missed free throw Kyle Lindbergh converted a three-point basket to cut the gap to 59-58 with :12.5 left. After a Dordt foul and two free throws by Nick Ford the Defenders took the ball the length of the floor and a Katje three-point basket tied it with four seconds left. Stritch's last second shot to win it was off the mark and the quarterfinal went to an overtime session.

The first overtime had Stritch in front after an initial three-point basket by Tony Smit but the Defenders fought back to tie it at 67-67 on a Chris Sievers basket it the paint and after a defensive stop the Defenders had the ball for the last shot. Austin Katje's shot was off the mark as time expired and the game went to a second extra session.

Cliff Warner hit a three-pointer to open the scoring but Smit answered with a three for Stritch and the teams were tied at 70-70. A free throw by Trevor Wolterstorff free throw put Dordt up 71-70 but Stritch answered with a basket. Warner made a driving two point basket for a 73-72 lead but Smit hit another basket for Stritch, giving the Wolves they wouldn't relinquish, making their free throws down the stretch and holding Dordt off for the 82-76 win.

"I thought we were tired to start the game and had to will ourselves through the first half. OUr guys never gave up and made big plays at the end to send it to overtime. Stritch is a very good team. A shot here or there and it's a different finish. That's the kind of game you expect in the quarterfinals of the national tournament," sad Dordt College coach Ross Douma.

Dordt converted 28-67 shots from the floor for 41.8 percent while Cardinal Stritch was 30-63 from the floor for 47.6 percent. The Wolves had a 38-33 rebounding edge and forced 15 Dordt turnovers while committing 12 of their own.

Dordt was led by Chris Sievers with 19 points as he was 7-7 from the field. Austin Katje added 18 while converting four three-point baskets and Jordan Vogel had 10 points. Kyle Lindbergh had nine points, four rebounds and six assists. Jordan Vogel had a team high seven rebounds.

Derek Semenas had 22 points to lead all scorers, getting 19 in the second half and the overtimes. Nick Ford and Darren Moore had 18 each with Moore grabbing 15 rebounds.

Dordt ends the season with a 28-7 record while Stritch advances to the semifinals with a 33-3 record.

The 28 wins is the second highest win total in men's basketball at Dordt College and this marks the third time in the last four years Dordt has won at least 20 games in a season.

-Courtesy Dordt College Athletics