Five South Dakota State players scored in double figures as the Jackrabbit women’s basketball moved into sole possession of second place in the Summit League standings with a 76-47 victory over UMKC Saturday afternoon at Frost Arena.
The Jackrabbits improved to 13-9 overall and 9-3 in The Summit League, taking a half-game lead over UMKC in the standings. The Kangaroos dropped to 11-11 overall, 8-3 in league play. Oral Roberts maintained its one-game lead over SDSU, improving to 10-2 and 16-7 overall with a 91-87 come-from-behind victory at Oakland on Saturday.
After setting a single-game school record for shooting percentage in their last outing, the Jackrabbits struggled offensively in the early going on Saturday, making only one of their first 11 shots from the field.
Trailing 8-4, the Jackrabbits put together a 7-0 run to take their first lead on a
Macie Michelson three-pointer with 10 minutes and 25 seconds remaining in the half. SDSU held a lead through most of the remainder of the opening stanza although neither team was able to establish much of an offensive rhythm until the closing minutes of the half.
The Jackrabbits ended the opening half with a 16-7 run to take a 31-23 lead at the half.
Jill Young hit three three-pointers in the final four minutes of the half and Michelson added another triple in the outburst.
SDSU added to its cushion with a 15-4 run to open the second half.
Kristin Rotert capped the spurt with a three-pointer from the left corner to give the Jackrabbits a 46-27 advantage.
The Kangaroos countered with an 11-1 run of their own to get back to within nine, 47-38 with 11:37 to play, but could get no closer the rest of the way.
Rotert, who scored all 10 of her points in the second half, scored four consecutive points to stem the tide before the Jackrabbits put the game away with another 12-0 run in a little more than two minutes later in the half.
Young led the Jackrabbits with 14 points, making 4-of-6 three-point attempts.
Maria Boever added 13 and Michelson finished with 12.
Jennie Sunnarborg contributed 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds, to go along with the 10 points from Rotert.
SDSU also received nine points from reserve
Ashley Eide and eight from
Ketty Cornemann.
The Jackrabbits finished strong from the field, ending the game 24-for-53, 45.3 percent, including 10-of-21 from three-point range. SDSU also was efficient at the free throw line, making 18-of-22 attempts, 81.8 percent.
UMKC was held to 26 percent shooting in the second half and ended the night 17-for-55, 30.9 percent. The Kangaroos struggled from behind the arc, connecting on only 1-of-12 three-point attempts, and didn’t fare much better at the free throw line, where they made 12-of-25 tries, 48 percent.
Rebounding was even at 39 as the Kangaroos were led by Kim Nezianya’s game highs of 16 points and 13 rebounds off the bench. Chazny Morris also posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
SDSU hosts Southern Utah at 7 p.m. Monday night. UMKC travels to North Dakota State on Monday.
NOTES: SDSU leads the all-time series 6-1 … the Jackrabbits improved to 42-6 in Summit League games since joining the league at the start of the 2007-08 season … SDSU upped its home record under head coach
Aaron Johnston to 123-14 … the Jackrabbits moved to 12-2 this season when leading at the half … the Jackrabbits have had four or more players score in double figures in seven consecutive games ... Boever moved into 21st place on the SDSU career scoring chart with 1,186 points, passing Lisa Kurtenbach (1,174 points from 1986-89) … Young set a career high with six steals and tied a season high with four three-pointers ... Boever added a career-high five assists ... Eide was 3-for-3 from the field and is 12-for-14 over the last four games ... the Jackrabbits sank 10 three-pointers for the second consecutive game ... UMKC committed 23 turnovers, compared to 21 by SDSU ... attendance was listed at 2,376
Courtesy: GoJacks.com
