Jacks host Summit League Game of the Week versus NDSU

The South Dakota State University women's basketball team will put two long winning streaks on the line Saturday night, when it hosts North Dakota State.
Tipoff for The Summit League Game of the Week is set for 7 p.m. at Frost Arena.
SDSU enters the matchup with a nine-game winning streak, during which the Jackrabbits have run their record to 20-6 overall and taken over The Summit League lead with a 13-2 mark. SDSU's last loss came Jan. 14 at second-place Western Illinois.
The Jackrabbits also are in the midst of a 19-game home winning streak, which currently ranks as the third-longest such streak in Division I women's basketball.
North Dakota State also has put together a long winning streak. Since falling at home to SDSU on Jan. 26, NDSU has reeled off six straight wins. The winning streak has propelled the Bison into sole possession of third place in the league standings at 10-5 in The Summit League and 15-10 overall.

THE SERIES: Saturday's game will mark the 66th meeting between SDSU and North Dakota State in women's basketball, with NDSU currently holding a 37-28 advantage in the series dating back to the 1976-77 season. However, the Jackrabbits have held the upper hand recently, winning the last five meetings and compiling an 11-6 mark during Aaron Johnston's tenure as head coach.
NDSU's last win in the series was a buzzer-beating 64-63 decision in Fargo during the 2004-05 season.

ONLINE COVERAGE: Audio coverage of Saturday's game is scheduled to be available via subscription service through GoJacks.com.
Monthly subscriptions for the Jackrabbit Extra, which includes live audio streaming, as well as Aaron Johnston's weekly coach's show, are available for $9.95 per month or $99.95 for an entire year of coverage. An audio-only subscription also is available for $4.95 per month, with programming consisting only of live radio broadcasts.
Video streaming of all SDSU home games, as well as Monday's game at Southern Utah, is available either on a pay-per-view basis or yearly subscription through the Summit League web site (www.thesummitleague.org).
Local radio coverage begins approximately 20 minutes before tipoff on KJJQ 910 AM, with Scotty Kwas calling the play-by-play.
Action photos of Jackrabbit games also will be posted online throughout the season and made available for purchase under the “Photos” heading at GoJacks.com.

IN TRANSITION: The 2007-08 season marks the final year of a four-year transition process toward reclassification of the Jackrabbit athletics program from NCAA Division II to full Division I status. By meeting annual criteria outlined by the NCAA, SDSU will be eligible for NCAA postseason competition during the 2008-09 season.
The Jackrabbits are not eligible for the 2008 Summit League Tournament scheduled for March 8-11 in Tulsa, Okla. However, SDSU could receive an invitation to the Women's NIT for a second consecutive yar.

FIRST MEETING: Four South Dakota State starters scored in double figures as the Jackrabbit women's basketball team closed out the first half of Summit League play with a 71-55 victory over North Dakota State on Jan. 26 in Fargo, N.D.
After falling behind 5-0 in the first two minutes, the Jackrabbits dominated the rest of the way. Ketty Corneman tied the game with a basket and three-pointer ? her only points of the night ? to spearhead an 11-0 Jackrabbit run. SDSU built a double-digit lead for the first time at 20-9 on a Macie Michelson layup with eight minutes, 30 seconds remaining in the half, then closed the first stanza with a 12-2 run keyed by back-to-back treys by Ashlea Muckenhirn to lead 35-18 at the half.
SDSU prevented the Bison from gaining any momentum on their home floor in the second half as the final margin of 16 points was the closest NDSU could close the gap.
Starting forwards Jennifer Warkenthien and Maria Boever each scored 12 points for SDSU, while guards Andrea Verdegan and Muckenhirn each tallied 10. Warkenthien nearly completed a double-double with nine rebounds. Senior center Courtney Grimsrud notched a game-high 12 rebounds and added three blocked shots off the bench as SDSU dominated the boards, 42-30.
The Jackrabbits put together one of their better shooting nights from the field, making 27-of-55 shots for 49.1 percent, including 6-of-19 from three-point range. SDSU, however, struggled at the free throw line, only making half of its attempts, 11-of-22.
Following a 23 percent shooting performance in the first half, NDSU improved in the final 20 minutes to finish the game 18-of-55 from the floor, 32.7 percent. The Bison were 4-of-11 from three-point range and 15-of-20 from the line.
Emily Moran scored a game-high 15 points to lead the Bison, while Lisa Bue contributed 14 points and team-high five rebounds.

ANOTHER WINNING SEASON: With its victory at Oakland (Mich.) on Feb. 2, South Dakota State all but sealed its 22nd consecutive winning season. Twelve times over that span the Jackrabbits have won 20 games in a season, including six of eight full seasons under head coach Aaron Johnston.
SDSU's last losing season was an 11-16 campaign during the 1985-86 season.

700 WINS: The Jackrabbits' victory over Missouri on Nov. 18 was the 700th in the women's basketball program's history. Since the modern era of women's basketball at South Dakota State University began with a 6-0 mark during the 1966-67 season, the Jacks have gone on to compile an overall record of 716-329 (.685 winning percentage).

BENCH POINTS: While the starting lineup has been in flux much of the season, the Jackrabbits have received consistent scoring off the bench. SDSU reserves have combined to score in double figures in 25 of 26 games ? the lone exception an eight-point combination Jan. 12 at IUPUI.
Jackrabbit reserves have outscored the starters in two games this season, accounting for 49 of the team's 91 points versus Minnesota-Duluth on New Year's Day and scoring 43 of the squad's 76 points in a Jan. 19 home win over Southern Utah.

DEPTH AND BALANCE: During their nine-game winning streak, seven different Jackrabbit players have led or shared the team lead in scoring. In eight of those games, three or more players have scored in double figures.
In each of the last two games, reserves have been the team's leading scorer: Stacie Oistad with 18 at UMKC and Macie Michelson with 19 at Southern Utah.

THREE-POINT BARRAGE: In its last four games, SDSU has made a combined 44-of-88 three-point attempts, 50 percent.
With 14 treys against Western Illinois on Feb. 9, 10 more versus IUPUI on Feb. 11 and 11 at Southern Utah on Feb. 18, SDSU has notched double digits in three-pointers in three of the last four games. The Jackrabbits also made 11 threes in a Jan. 7 home victory over Oakland (Mich.).
The 14 three-pointers against WIU were the most by a Jackrabbit team since draining 15 versus North Dakota State on Feb. 4, 2006.
In NCAA statistics released Feb. 19, SDSU would have ranked 14th among Division I squads by averaging 7.38 made three-pointers per game and 42nd in three-point percentage at 35.6 percent, leading The Summit League in both categories.
Three Jackrabbit players rank among the top 10 individually in The Summit League in three-point percentage: Ketty Cornemann is tied for first at 42.1 percent (24-of-57), Kristin Rotert ranks fourth at 41.1 percent (53-of-129) and Andrea Verdegan stands seventh at 37.6 percent (35-of-93).
SDSU has received a strong perimeter-shooting performance from a different player in each of the last four games. Andrea Verdegan was 5-for-5 from long range against Western Illinois and Ketty Cornemann matched that feat Feb. 11 versus IUPUI.
On the recent road trip, Stacie Oistad made 3-of-4 attempts from behind the arc at UMKC, and freshman Macie Michelson added a 5-of-6 performance from long range en route to a career-high 19 points at Southern Utah.
For the season, the Jackrabbits have made 91 more three-pointers than their opponents, 192-101. Eleven different players have connected from behind the arc this season, with four making 20 or more from long range.

VERDEGAN MOVING ON UP: Senior guard Andrea Verdegan played in her 100th career collegiate game Jan. 5 versus IPFW.
A starter in 85 of 112 career games, Verdegan is moving up the career charts in several categories during her senior season. With a three-pointer at Southern Utah on Feb. 18, Verdegan upped her career total to 144, good for eighth place on the Jackrabbit career three-point chart. Next on the list is Heather Sieler, who made 154 three-pointers from 2003-06.
Verdegan became the 14th player in Jackrabbit history to record 300 career assists, reaching the milestone Jan. 12 at IUPUI with a five-assist effort. Her career total now stands at 339, putting her in 12th place and 12 away from tying Carleen Rose (351 assists from 1990-93) for 11th place. Verdegan also has moved into 13th place in career steals, entering the week with 180. She needs three steals to pass former teammate and current graduate assistant Megan Vogel (182 steals from 2004-07) for 12th place.

BLOCKED BY GRIMSRUD: The 2006-07 Division I Independent Defensive Player of the Year, Courtney Grimsrud played in her 100th career game Monday at Southern Utah. In that game she also upped her career blocked shot total to 110, moving into third place on the Jackrabbit career blocked shots chart by passing both Lora Kluis (108 blocks from 1996-99) and Sarita DeBoer (108 from 2002-05).

WORKING OVERTIME: SDSU's double-overtime victory over UC Riverside on Nov. 11 marked the first overtime game against a Division I opponent for the Jackrabbits since making the move to the D-I ranks.
The Jackrabbits had last played an overtime game in the 2004 North Central Regional championship game against North Dakota, one in which SDSU prevailed, 72-70, on a neutral court in St. Paul, Minn.
SDSU's last double overtime game came during the 1983-84 season, when the Jackrabbits defeated Air Force, 73-65.
The Jacks also won a road overtime game for the first time in eight years when it posted a 64-63 victory at Oakland (Mich.) on Feb. 2. Previously, SDSU's last overtime victory in a true road game came at St. Cloud State (Minn.) during the 1999-2000 season.
SDSU followed that with another OT game at IPFW on Feb. 4, escaping with a 74-72 victory. It marked the first time the Jackrabbits played back-to-back overtime games since the 1986-87 season, when they split games at Alaska-Anchorage (W, 89-84) and at Alaska-Fairbanks (L, 67-68).
Under coach Aaron Johnston, SDSU holds a 6-2 record in overtime games, winning each of the last five.

WINNING RECORD: Since moving up to the NCAA Division I ranks at the start of the 2004-05 season, the Jackrabbits have posted a winning record against D-I opponents. Now in its fourth season competing at the Division I level, SDSU has compiled a 67-28 mark (.705 winning percentage) versus D-I opposition. The Jackrabbits have posted victories over 42 different Division I teams representing 16 conferences plus independents.

TOUGH AT HOME: SDSU's loss to Marquette on Dec. 31, 2006, was a rarity during the Aaron Johnston era. In his seven seasons as Jackrabbit head coach, Johnston has led the Jackrabbits to a 97-11 record (.898 winning percentage) at Frost Arena, including winning 39 of their last 41 home games.
Since the start of the 2001-02 season, SDSU has an 86-6 home record, losing just one game at Frost Arena each full season. SDSU was 14-1 last season at Frost Arena, extending its home-court winning streak to 15 games before the loss to Marquette (Wis.) on Dec. 31, 2006.
The Jackrabbits have since won their last 19 home games, completing an undefeated slate during the 2007 calendar year. SDSU's 19-game home winning streak currently ranks as the third-longest active streak in Division I. Old Dominion (Va.) and Hartford (Conn.) share the longest current streak at 21.

FRONT RUNNERS: The Jackrabbits have put together a streak of 51 consecutive wins in games in which they have held a halftime lead.
The streak began Jan. 2, 2006, when SDSU won at Idaho State, 82-70, a game it led 44-28 at the break. Starting then, the Jacks won the final 11 games of the 2005-06 season it led at halftime, all 21 games during the 2006-07 season. SDSU has led at the half in 18 of its 19 victories this season. When trailing or tied at the half, the Jackrabbits have compiled a 1-6 record, with the lone victory coming Feb. 4 at IPFW.
The last time SDSU lost a game it led at halftime was on Dec. 21, 2005, at Marquette (Wis.). The Golden Eagles turned a 32-29 deficit into a 67-55 victory in Milwaukee.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits complete the regular season with a homestand against Centenary (La.) on March 1 and Oral Roberts (Okla.) on March 3.
The game versus Centenary is part of a doubleheader with the Jackrabbit men's squad, and will tip off at 5 p.m. at Frost Arena. The matchup with Oral Roberts is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

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