Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus No. 6 Washington on March 20, 2026 , Loss , 54, to, 72
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FINAL
Women's Basketball
54
vs No. 6 Washington
72
South Dakota State University Athletics
SDSU, Creighton to square off in WNIT opener
3/19/2008 1:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BROOKINGS, S.D. ? The South Dakota State University women's basketball team will make its second consecutive appearance in the Women's National Invitation Tournament, opening first-round play Thursday night against Creighton (Neb.).
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Frost Arena.
The Jackrabbits, regular season champions of The Summit League with a 16-2 mark, enter the matchup with a 23-6 overall record. SDSU enters the single-elimination WNIT on a 12-game winning streak, but hasn't played since defeating Oral Roberts (Okla.), 88-67, in the regular season finale on March 3.
SDSU also opened the 2007 WNIT against a Missouri Valley Conference opponent. After receiving a first-round bye, the Jackrabbits defeated Illinois State, 61-48, at Frost Arena. SDSU later defeated Indiana, 60-53, before falling at eventual tournament champion Wyoming, 70-59, in the quarterfinals.
Creighton has compiled a 20-11 campaign thus far, finishing fourth in The Valley regular season standings with a 12-6 record in league play. The Bluejays, who won the WNIT title in 2004, are making their sixth tournament appearance. Creighton also played in the WNIT in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2005.
General admission tickets remain available for Thursday's game at a cost of $12 for adults and $6 for children in grades K-12. All orders will be assessed a $3 processiong fee. In addition, SDSU college students can purchase $6 tickets by presenting a valid ID.
Advance ticket sales will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the ticket booth on the lower level of the Stanley J. Marshall HPER Center, and again from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday. Orders also will be accepted online at GoJacks.com.
Any remaining tickets will go on sale when doors open at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. For more information, call 1-866-GO JACKS.
THE SERIES: Thursday's game will mark the third meeting between SDSU and Creighton in women's basketball, but the first since the 1983-84 season. Creighton has won both previous meeetings: 74-68 in overtime during the 1979-80 season and 78-43 in 1983-84.
Since moving to the Division I ranks at the start of the 2004-05 season, the Jackrabbits have compiled a 4-2 record against Missouri Valley Conference opponents. SDSU is on a four-game winning streak against The Valley, including wins over Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa this season. The Jackrabbits began the streak with victories against Southern Illinois and Illinois State during the 2006-07 campaign.
JACKRABBITS ONLINE: Coverage of Thursday's game is scheduled to be available in a variety of ways.
A free video webcast of the game will be offered through The Summit League website (www.thesummitleague.org). A free audio webcast also will be available through the Jackrabbit Extra section at GoJacks.com, the official website of South Dakota State University athletics.
Radio coverage also has been expanded as WNAX 570 AM will carry the broadcast, in addition to flagship station KJJQ 910 AM. Scotty Kwas' call of the action will begin at approximately 6:40 p.m.
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 were not eligible for the 2008 Summit League Tournament scheduled for March 8-11 in Tulsa, Okla.
SIGHTS ON THE SUMMIT: South Dakota State began another new era this season as it opened play in the 10-team Summit League (formerly the Mid-Continent Conference). Teams began playing a double round-robin schedule in early December.
The Jackrabbits were picked to finish third in the league based on a poll involving the league's coaches, sports information directors and select media despite receiving the most first-place votes. Defending conference tournament champion Oral Roberts (Okla.) was tabbed the league favorite, followed by 2006-07 regular season champion Oakland (Mich.).
SUMMIT LEAGUE CHAMPS: The Jackrabbits secured their first-ever outright regular season conference championship after defeating North Dakota State on Feb. 23 and Western Illinois losing to Oakland (Mich.) on Feb. 25.
SDSU shared two North Central Conference titles in its days as an NCAA Division II member, tying for the league title with South Dakota during the 2002-03 season and with North Dakota State during the 2003-04 campaign.
JACKS REAP SUMMIT LEAGUE AWARDS: South Dakota State University freshman Kristin Rotert was named The Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year and earned a spot on the league's all-newcomer team, while forward Jennifer Warkenthien was honored on The All-Summit League First Team, league officials announced March 5.
In addition, Jackrabbit senior Andrea Verdegan and sophomore Maria Boever earned honorable mention honors and head coach Aaron Johnston was named Summit League Coach of the Year. Selections were based on a vote by the league's coaches, sports information directors and media members who regularly cover the league.
Rotert, a freshman from Salem, started the first two league games, then came off the bench the remainder of the league schedule to record averages of 10.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. She has set a Jackrabbit freshman record with a team-leading 58 three-pointers, while ranking third in the league with an average of 2.15 three-pointers made per game and fourth in three-point shooting percentage, 41.7 percent. She has scored in double figures in 15 of the 27 games in which she has played.
Warkenthien, a junior from Willow Lake, missed the first seven games of the season due to injury, but posted team-best averages of 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game since her return to the lineup, while ranking eighth and 10th in the league, respectively, in those categories. She also ranks third in free throw percentage, shooting at an 81.8 percent (81-of-99) clip. Warkenthien reached double figures for scoring in 13 of 18 league games, including a career-high 29 points in an overtime win at IPFW on Feb. 4.
Verdegan, a senior from Glen Flora, Wis., received honorable mention accolades after ranking among the league leaders in assists (fifth, 3.72 per game), steals (10th, 1.86 per game) and three-point shooting (fifth, 41.3 percent). She also is averaging 8.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
A sophomore from Worthington, Minn., Boever was an honorable mention selection following a regular season in which she averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. She also ranks second in field goal percentage, shooting 53.1 percent from the floor.
Johnston earned the coaching award after leading SDSU to the league title during its inaugural season in the 10-team association. Johnston guided the Jackrabbits to a 16-2 league record, winning 12 consecutive games to end the regular season. Johnston has compiled a 193-61 record in eight-plus seasons as head coach.
LAST TIME OUT: South Dakota State's three-point barrage continued as the Jackrabbits connected on a season-high 15 three-pointers to pull away from Oral Roberts (Okla.), 88-67, in The Summit League regular season finale before a crowd of 2,154 fans at Frost Arena on March 3.
After the teams traded baskets in the early going, the Jackrabbits turned a one-point lead into a 25-12 advantage with a 12-0 run that included eight points by sophomore forward Ketty Cornemann. SDSU led by as many as 18 in the first half before taking a 41-26 lead into halftime.
SDSU opened the second half struggling to find the basket. Following a three-pointer by freshman Kristin Rotert that gave the Jackrabbits a 49-34 lead with 16 minutes, 16 seconds remaining in the game, SDSU hit a dry spell. The Jackrabbits went scoreless for nearly five minutes, missing nine shots in a row and allowing Oral Roberts to creep back to within four with an 11-0 run.
Ashlea Muckenhirn ended the drought with a three-pointer that opened the floodgates for the Jackrabbits, who went on to make 10 of their next 13 field goal attempts. Eight of the makes came from three-point range as SDSU's 24-8 surge over a six-minute span put the game out of reach.
On the night, SDSU made 15-of-28 three-point attempts, with eight different players making at least one trifecta. Overall, the Jackrabbits ended the game 26-of-55 overall from the field, 47.3 percent. At the line, the Jackrabbits made 21-of-29 tries, 72.4 percent.
As has been the case throughout the second half of the season, the Jackrabbit offensive attack featured outstanding balance. Cornemann led six players in double figures with 14, followed by 12 from Maria Boever. Jennifer Warkenthien, Andrea Verdegan and reserve Stacie Oistad contributed 11 points each and backup freshman guard Macie Michelson added 10.
Warkenthien paced the Jackrabbits' 42-28 rebounding advantage with eight boards.
Jenny Hardin scored a game-high 19 points to lead ORU. Rachel Watman tallied 12 points before fouling out, and Janae Voelker contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.
ORU finished the game 22-of-53 from the field, 41.5 percent, including 8-of-21 on threes. The Golden Eagles made 15-of-23 at the line, 65.2 percent.
ANOTHER WINNING SEASON: With its victory at Oakland (Mich.) on Feb. 2, South Dakota State 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 719-329 (.686 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 28 of 29 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 12-game winning streak, seven different Jackrabbit players have led or shared the team lead in scoring. In 11 of those games, three or more players have scored in double figures, including a season-high six against Oral Roberts on March 3.
THREE-POINT BARRAGE: In its last seven games, SDSU has made a combined 78-of-155 three-point attempts, 50.3 percent.
Starting with a season-high 15 treys against Oral Roberts (Okla.) on March 3, SDSU has notched double digits in three-pointers in five of the last seven games. The Jackrabbits also made 11 threes in a Jan. 7 home victory over Oakland (Mich.).
The 15 three-pointers against ORU were the most by a Jackrabbit team since draining 15 versus North Dakota State on Feb. 4, 2006.
In NCAA statistics released March 16, SDSU would have ranked sixth among Division I squads by averaging 7.79 made three-pointers per game and 16th in three-point percentage at 37.2 percent (226-of-607), leading The Summit League in both categories.
The 226 made three-pointers also established a new Summit League single-season record.
Three Jackrabbit players rank among the top five individually in The Summit League in three-point percentage: Ketty Cornemann ranks third at 42.3 percent (30-of-71), Kristin Rotert ranks fourth at 41.7 percent (58-of-139), and Andrea Verdegan stands fifth at 41.3 percent (43-of-104).
SDSU received a strong perimeter-shooting performance from a different player in each of the first two games during the recent streak. Verdegan was 5-for-5 from long range against Western Illinois and Cornemann matched that feat Feb. 11 versus IUPUI.
For the season, the Jackrabbits have made 110 more three-pointers than their opponents, 226-116. Eleven different players have connected from behind the arc this season, with six making 20 or more from long range.
RABBITS ON A ROLL: Since winning back-to-back overtime games at Oakland (Mich) and IPFW in early February, the Jackrabbits have left little doubt in the outcome of their games.
Over the last seven games, SDSU has won by an average margin of 31.4 points, with the closest game decided by 20 points ? versus North Dakota State on Feb. 23. In addition, the Jackrabbits have shot 49.6 percent from the field (200-of-403) and out-rebounded their opponents by an average of 12.3 boards per game.
To view the entire release, download the document below.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Frost Arena.
The Jackrabbits, regular season champions of The Summit League with a 16-2 mark, enter the matchup with a 23-6 overall record. SDSU enters the single-elimination WNIT on a 12-game winning streak, but hasn't played since defeating Oral Roberts (Okla.), 88-67, in the regular season finale on March 3.
SDSU also opened the 2007 WNIT against a Missouri Valley Conference opponent. After receiving a first-round bye, the Jackrabbits defeated Illinois State, 61-48, at Frost Arena. SDSU later defeated Indiana, 60-53, before falling at eventual tournament champion Wyoming, 70-59, in the quarterfinals.
Creighton has compiled a 20-11 campaign thus far, finishing fourth in The Valley regular season standings with a 12-6 record in league play. The Bluejays, who won the WNIT title in 2004, are making their sixth tournament appearance. Creighton also played in the WNIT in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2005.
General admission tickets remain available for Thursday's game at a cost of $12 for adults and $6 for children in grades K-12. All orders will be assessed a $3 processiong fee. In addition, SDSU college students can purchase $6 tickets by presenting a valid ID.
Advance ticket sales will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the ticket booth on the lower level of the Stanley J. Marshall HPER Center, and again from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday. Orders also will be accepted online at GoJacks.com.
Any remaining tickets will go on sale when doors open at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. For more information, call 1-866-GO JACKS.
THE SERIES: Thursday's game will mark the third meeting between SDSU and Creighton in women's basketball, but the first since the 1983-84 season. Creighton has won both previous meeetings: 74-68 in overtime during the 1979-80 season and 78-43 in 1983-84.
Since moving to the Division I ranks at the start of the 2004-05 season, the Jackrabbits have compiled a 4-2 record against Missouri Valley Conference opponents. SDSU is on a four-game winning streak against The Valley, including wins over Southern Illinois and Northern Iowa this season. The Jackrabbits began the streak with victories against Southern Illinois and Illinois State during the 2006-07 campaign.
JACKRABBITS ONLINE: Coverage of Thursday's game is scheduled to be available in a variety of ways.
A free video webcast of the game will be offered through The Summit League website (www.thesummitleague.org). A free audio webcast also will be available through the Jackrabbit Extra section at GoJacks.com, the official website of South Dakota State University athletics.
Radio coverage also has been expanded as WNAX 570 AM will carry the broadcast, in addition to flagship station KJJQ 910 AM. Scotty Kwas' call of the action will begin at approximately 6:40 p.m.
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 were not eligible for the 2008 Summit League Tournament scheduled for March 8-11 in Tulsa, Okla.
SIGHTS ON THE SUMMIT: South Dakota State began another new era this season as it opened play in the 10-team Summit League (formerly the Mid-Continent Conference). Teams began playing a double round-robin schedule in early December.
The Jackrabbits were picked to finish third in the league based on a poll involving the league's coaches, sports information directors and select media despite receiving the most first-place votes. Defending conference tournament champion Oral Roberts (Okla.) was tabbed the league favorite, followed by 2006-07 regular season champion Oakland (Mich.).
SUMMIT LEAGUE CHAMPS: The Jackrabbits secured their first-ever outright regular season conference championship after defeating North Dakota State on Feb. 23 and Western Illinois losing to Oakland (Mich.) on Feb. 25.
SDSU shared two North Central Conference titles in its days as an NCAA Division II member, tying for the league title with South Dakota during the 2002-03 season and with North Dakota State during the 2003-04 campaign.
JACKS REAP SUMMIT LEAGUE AWARDS: South Dakota State University freshman Kristin Rotert was named The Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year and earned a spot on the league's all-newcomer team, while forward Jennifer Warkenthien was honored on The All-Summit League First Team, league officials announced March 5.
In addition, Jackrabbit senior Andrea Verdegan and sophomore Maria Boever earned honorable mention honors and head coach Aaron Johnston was named Summit League Coach of the Year. Selections were based on a vote by the league's coaches, sports information directors and media members who regularly cover the league.
Rotert, a freshman from Salem, started the first two league games, then came off the bench the remainder of the league schedule to record averages of 10.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. She has set a Jackrabbit freshman record with a team-leading 58 three-pointers, while ranking third in the league with an average of 2.15 three-pointers made per game and fourth in three-point shooting percentage, 41.7 percent. She has scored in double figures in 15 of the 27 games in which she has played.
Warkenthien, a junior from Willow Lake, missed the first seven games of the season due to injury, but posted team-best averages of 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game since her return to the lineup, while ranking eighth and 10th in the league, respectively, in those categories. She also ranks third in free throw percentage, shooting at an 81.8 percent (81-of-99) clip. Warkenthien reached double figures for scoring in 13 of 18 league games, including a career-high 29 points in an overtime win at IPFW on Feb. 4.
Verdegan, a senior from Glen Flora, Wis., received honorable mention accolades after ranking among the league leaders in assists (fifth, 3.72 per game), steals (10th, 1.86 per game) and three-point shooting (fifth, 41.3 percent). She also is averaging 8.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
A sophomore from Worthington, Minn., Boever was an honorable mention selection following a regular season in which she averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. She also ranks second in field goal percentage, shooting 53.1 percent from the floor.
Johnston earned the coaching award after leading SDSU to the league title during its inaugural season in the 10-team association. Johnston guided the Jackrabbits to a 16-2 league record, winning 12 consecutive games to end the regular season. Johnston has compiled a 193-61 record in eight-plus seasons as head coach.
LAST TIME OUT: South Dakota State's three-point barrage continued as the Jackrabbits connected on a season-high 15 three-pointers to pull away from Oral Roberts (Okla.), 88-67, in The Summit League regular season finale before a crowd of 2,154 fans at Frost Arena on March 3.
After the teams traded baskets in the early going, the Jackrabbits turned a one-point lead into a 25-12 advantage with a 12-0 run that included eight points by sophomore forward Ketty Cornemann. SDSU led by as many as 18 in the first half before taking a 41-26 lead into halftime.
SDSU opened the second half struggling to find the basket. Following a three-pointer by freshman Kristin Rotert that gave the Jackrabbits a 49-34 lead with 16 minutes, 16 seconds remaining in the game, SDSU hit a dry spell. The Jackrabbits went scoreless for nearly five minutes, missing nine shots in a row and allowing Oral Roberts to creep back to within four with an 11-0 run.
Ashlea Muckenhirn ended the drought with a three-pointer that opened the floodgates for the Jackrabbits, who went on to make 10 of their next 13 field goal attempts. Eight of the makes came from three-point range as SDSU's 24-8 surge over a six-minute span put the game out of reach.
On the night, SDSU made 15-of-28 three-point attempts, with eight different players making at least one trifecta. Overall, the Jackrabbits ended the game 26-of-55 overall from the field, 47.3 percent. At the line, the Jackrabbits made 21-of-29 tries, 72.4 percent.
As has been the case throughout the second half of the season, the Jackrabbit offensive attack featured outstanding balance. Cornemann led six players in double figures with 14, followed by 12 from Maria Boever. Jennifer Warkenthien, Andrea Verdegan and reserve Stacie Oistad contributed 11 points each and backup freshman guard Macie Michelson added 10.
Warkenthien paced the Jackrabbits' 42-28 rebounding advantage with eight boards.
Jenny Hardin scored a game-high 19 points to lead ORU. Rachel Watman tallied 12 points before fouling out, and Janae Voelker contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.
ORU finished the game 22-of-53 from the field, 41.5 percent, including 8-of-21 on threes. The Golden Eagles made 15-of-23 at the line, 65.2 percent.
ANOTHER WINNING SEASON: With its victory at Oakland (Mich.) on Feb. 2, South Dakota State 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 719-329 (.686 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 28 of 29 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 12-game winning streak, seven different Jackrabbit players have led or shared the team lead in scoring. In 11 of those games, three or more players have scored in double figures, including a season-high six against Oral Roberts on March 3.
THREE-POINT BARRAGE: In its last seven games, SDSU has made a combined 78-of-155 three-point attempts, 50.3 percent.
Starting with a season-high 15 treys against Oral Roberts (Okla.) on March 3, SDSU has notched double digits in three-pointers in five of the last seven games. The Jackrabbits also made 11 threes in a Jan. 7 home victory over Oakland (Mich.).
The 15 three-pointers against ORU were the most by a Jackrabbit team since draining 15 versus North Dakota State on Feb. 4, 2006.
In NCAA statistics released March 16, SDSU would have ranked sixth among Division I squads by averaging 7.79 made three-pointers per game and 16th in three-point percentage at 37.2 percent (226-of-607), leading The Summit League in both categories.
The 226 made three-pointers also established a new Summit League single-season record.
Three Jackrabbit players rank among the top five individually in The Summit League in three-point percentage: Ketty Cornemann ranks third at 42.3 percent (30-of-71), Kristin Rotert ranks fourth at 41.7 percent (58-of-139), and Andrea Verdegan stands fifth at 41.3 percent (43-of-104).
SDSU received a strong perimeter-shooting performance from a different player in each of the first two games during the recent streak. Verdegan was 5-for-5 from long range against Western Illinois and Cornemann matched that feat Feb. 11 versus IUPUI.
For the season, the Jackrabbits have made 110 more three-pointers than their opponents, 226-116. Eleven different players have connected from behind the arc this season, with six making 20 or more from long range.
RABBITS ON A ROLL: Since winning back-to-back overtime games at Oakland (Mich) and IPFW in early February, the Jackrabbits have left little doubt in the outcome of their games.
Over the last seven games, SDSU has won by an average margin of 31.4 points, with the closest game decided by 20 points ? versus North Dakota State on Feb. 23. In addition, the Jackrabbits have shot 49.6 percent from the field (200-of-403) and out-rebounded their opponents by an average of 12.3 boards per game.
To view the entire release, download the document below.
Players Mentioned
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