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, Bison meet in Fargo
1/14/2010 4:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
The South Dakota State University women's basketball team will attempt to stay within striking distance of the top of the Summit League regular season race as it travels to North Dakota State Saturday night.
Tipoff is slated for 7:05 p.m. at the Bison Sports Arena on the North Dakota State University campus in Fargo. The game is scheduled to be televised on KSFY-TV in Sioux Falls and Fargo-based KVLY-TV.
Both teams enter the key league matchup with 4-2 records in league play. The Bison are 9-7 overall after being swept at UMKC (73-64) and Southern Utah (59-58) last week. SDSU comes into the game 8-8 overall. The Jackrabbits won at Southern Utah (59-45) on Jan. 9, before falling 67-64 at UMKC two days later.
THE SERIES: Saturday's game marks the renewal of a rivalry that will become the Jackrabbits' most-played series by season's end.
Since the series started during the 1976-77 season with a 77-61 Jackrabbit victory, the two teams have met 68 times, with NDSU holding a 37-31 series advantage. The Jackrabbits have held the upper hand recently, winning the last eight meetings and
compiling a 14-6 mark during Aaron Johnston's tenure as head coach.
The Bison hold the longest winning streak in the series, rattling off nine consecutive victories between the 1989-90 and 1993-94 seasons.
SDSU recorded a pair of double-digit victories during the 2008-09 season, opening the season series with a 64-48 win Jan. 24, 2009, at Frost Arena. The Jackrabbits, who led ony 27-25 at halftime, pulled away in the second half behind 26 points and 13 rebounds from Summit League Player of the Year Jennifer Warkenthien. Kristin Rotert and Ketty Cornemann each added nine points.
Jerri Penley and Katie Birkel each scored 11 points to lead the Bison. Inger Hodgson added 10.
In the rematch Feb. 21 in Fargo, the Jackrabbits rolled to a 70-36 victory. SDSU led 32-14 at halftime en route to its 12th consecutive win of the season.
Warkenthien posted another double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Maria Boever and Stacie Oistad each tallied 10 points.
Penley was the lone player in double figures for the Bison with 12 points.
NDSU's last win in the series was a buzzer-beating 64-63 decision in Fargo during the 2004-05 season.
Saturday's 69th meeting between SDSU and NDSU ties the series with Augustana as the Jackrabbits' most-played opponent. SDSU holds a 48-21 edge over the Vikings.
JACKRABBITS ONLINE: Audio and video coverage of Saturday's game is scheduled to be available via subscription service at GoJacks.com, the official website of SDSU athletics. Monthly subscriptions for the Jackrabbit Extra, which includes live audio and video streaming of most Jackrabbit basketball games, are available for $9.95 per month or $79.95 on a limited-time basis 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.
Local radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. Central Time on the Jackrabbit Radio Network, with Tyler Merriam calling the play-by-play and former assistant coach Laurie Melum providing color commentary. Brookings-based KJJQ 910 AM will serve as the flagship station of the network, with coverage of Saturday's game also available on WNAX 570 AM in Yankton and Pierre-based KGFX 1060 AM.
JACKRABBIT INSIDER: Throughout the 2009-10 women's basketball season, head coach Aaron Johnston will be a guest on the “Jackrabbit Insider,” a weekly behind-the-scenes look at South Dakota State University athletics.
The half-hour television show which features highlights of SDSU athletic events, as well as interviews with Jackrabbit coaches and student-athletes, airs Sundays at 10:35 p.m., following KSFY ActionNews. The show also can be viewed online at GoJacks.com.
LAST WEEK: The Jackrabbits split a pair of Summit League games during a road trip to Southern Utah and UMKC.
SDSU 59, Southern Utah 45
Ketty Cornemann and Kristin Rotert combined for 29 points, leading South Dakota State to a 59-45 victory over Southern Utah Jan. 9 in Cedar City, Utah.
Rotert, a 6-foot wing from Salem, completed her first career double-double with a career-high 11 rebounds as the Jackrabbits improved to 8-7 overall and 4-1 in league play. SUU dropped to 3-12 overall, 1-3 in The Summit League.
A senior from Yankton, Cornemann paced the Jackrabbits in a strong start by scoring nine of the team's first 10 points as SDSU grabbed a 10-2 lead in the first three and a half minutes. The Jackrabbits, who never trailed, built a double-digit lead for the first time at 15-5 after two free throws by Rotert.
SDSU continued to widen the margin with strong shooting at the free throw line, coupled by cold shooting from the field by the Thunderbirds. The Jackrabbits led by as many as 19 three times in the opening half, including a 36-17 advantage at intermission. SDSU converted 15-of-19 attempts, 75.9 percent, in the first half.
Meanwhile, SUU made only 7-of-32 field goal attempts in the opening half, 21.9 percent.
The Thunderbirds chipped away at the deficit early in the second half, pulling to within nine, 42-33, with just over 12 minutes remaining. However, SDSU put the game out of reach with a 13-2 run over the next five minutes to take its largest lead of the night at 55-35.
Cornemann led all players with 15 points, while Rotert added 14 points as she made all seven of her free throw attempts
The best-shooting team in The Summit League, SDSU finished the game an uncharacteristic 34 percent from the field, 18-of-53. The Jackrabbits ended up 22-of-29 at the line, 75.9 percent.
Neither team hit the mark from three point range; SDSU was 1-for-11, while Southern Utah was a measly 1-of-17. The Thunderbirds ended the game 19-of-65 from the field overall, 29.2 percent, and 6-of-9 at the line.
The Jackrabbits dominated the rebounding category, 52-32. Besides Rotert's game-high 11 boards, Maria Boever and Ashley Eide each recorded nine rebounds, with Eide's total also a career high.
Challis Pascucci turned in a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Caitlyn Sears added 11 points.
UMKC 67, SDSU 64
The roller-coaster ride that has been the South Dakota State University women's basketball team's season continued Jan. 11 as the Jackrabbits dropped a 67-64 decision at UMKC.
The Jackrabbits fell to 8-8 overall and 4-2 in The Summit League. UMKC improved to 7-9 overall and 4-1 in league play.
For the second Monday night in a row, the Jackrabbits were never able to gain a lead. After SDSU tied the game at 13-all on a Maria Boever basket with 12 minutes and 10 seconds remaining in the front half, UMKC went on a quick 7-0 run to take the lead for good.
The Jackrabbits got back to within a basket at 20-18, but the final nine minutes of the half belonged to UMKC. The Kangaroos put together a 14-6 run to close the half and take a 38-27 lead at halftime.
The Kangaroos scored the first four points of the second half to build their largest lead of the night at 15 points, 42-27, only to see SDSU come charging back.
Ketty Cornemann, who did not score in the first half, led the Jackrabbits' second-half charge. The senior from Yankton hit back-to-back three-pointers to pull SDSU to within 44-37 at the 16:45 mark. Two Cornemann free throws with 12:07 remaining brought the Jackrabbits to within three, 47-44, and a basket by Jennie Sunnarborg on the next SDSU possession put the run at 19-5 and cut the deficit to one.
UMKC was able to regain the momentum, countering with a 6-0 spurt and holding the Jackrabbits scoreless for nearly five minutes. Chazny Morris, who scored a game-high 24 points, put the game out of reach with a basket and free throw that gave UMKC a 63-53 lead inside of four minutes to play.
The Jackrabbits put together one last run, pulling to within 63-60 on a Jill Young three-pointer with 49 seconds remaining. Sam Sikkink sealed the Kangaroo victory by making all four of her free throw attempts in the closing seconds.
Jade Tinner, who was 8-of-10 from the field for 17 points, and Simone Bridges with 10 also reached double figures for the Kangaroos.
Field goal statistics were nearly identical: UMKC finished the game 23-of-51, 45.1 percent, while SDSU was 22-of-53, 41.5 percent. The Jackrabbits made 6-of-19 three-point tries, compared to 3-of-11 for UMKC. At the line, SDSU made 14-of-17 attempts for 82.4 percent, with the Kangaroos making 18-fo-28 tries for 64.3 percent.
Boever led four Jackrabbit players in double figures with 15 points. Cornemann finished the night with 13, while Kristin Rotert and Sunnarborg each tallied 11. Boever also collected a game-high seven rebounds to pace the Jackrabbits' 36-27 rebounding advantage.
Turnovers proved to be a downfall for SDSU, which committed 18 miscues, compared to only nine by UMKC.
SUMMIT LEAGUE DOMINANCE: South Dakota State has built an impressive Summit League résumé as it plays its third season in the 10-team conference.
In its two-plus seasons as a league member, the Jackrabbits have compiled a 37-5 record in Summit League regular season games en route to consecutive outright league titles with records of 16-2 in 2007-08 and 17-1 during the 2008-09 season. SDSU has gone 19-1 at home and has won at least one game on every other Summit League member's home court.
SDSU also is 3-0 in Summit League postseason tournament games after winning the 2009 championship in its first year of eligibility. The Summit League Championship returns to Sioux Falls March 6-9, 2010.
PRESEASON FAVORITES: The South Dakota State University women's basketball team is a near-unanimous pick to repeat as Summit League champions, as selected by the annual preseason poll of league coaches, sports information directors and media, which was released in October.
The Jackrabbits, who return four starters, received 25 of the 27 first-place votes to tally 419 points. Oakland University (Mich.), which lost to SDSU in the Summit League Championship last season, earned one first-place vote and finished second in the poll with 365 points. North Dakota State was third with 318 points, while Oral Roberts (Okla.) picked up the other first-place vote to finish fourth with 289 points.
PRESEASON HONORS: Although South Dakota State does not have a player on the preseason all-Summit League First Team, four Jackrabbit players received preseason accolades by being named to the all-league second team: senior forwards Maria Boever and Ketty Cornemann, junior guard/forward Kristin Rotert and sophomore guard Jill Young.
Boever, a 6-foot-1 senior forward from Worthington, Minn., earned honorable mention all-Summit League honors last season after averaging 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. She scored in double figures 14 times and added a pair of double-digit rebounding performances.
A 5-11 senior forward, Cornemann earned all-Summit League second-team recognition during the 2008-09 season. One of only two Jackrabbits to start all 35 games, she reached double figures 13 times en route to averaging 8.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Rotert, a 6-foot junior wing, was another honorable mention all-league performer after averaging 10.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. She ranked second on the team with 60 three-pointers and had the tendency to rise to the occasion in big games, posting double figures for scoring 17 times.
Young, a 5-7 sophomore guard, earned Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year honors and a spot on the Summit League All-Newcomer Team after ranking second on the team in scoring at 10.2 points per game. The Mitchell native established a Jackrabbit freshman record with 82 three-pointers.
UMKC guard Chazny Morris was named the Preseason Player of the Year. She was joined on the first team by North Dakota State guard Inger Hodgson, IPFW guard Chelsey Jackson, Oakland guard Melissa Jeltema, Oral Roberts guard/forward Janae Voelker and IUPUI center Julia Whitted.
DIFFICULT SCHEDULE: The Jackrabbit women's basketball team wrapped up a difficult slate of non-conference games with the Dec. 28 victory over Northern Iowa.
Of SDSU's 10 non-conference games, eight were against an opponent that played in the postseason a year ago. Seven of those games were against fellow NCAA Tournament teams as the Jackrabbits met Virginia in the second round of the Junkanoo Jam in The Bahamas.
Virginia is currently ranked 23rd and 24th, in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls, respectively. Arizona State and Gonzaga (Wash.) are receiving votes.
DEPTH AND BALANCE: The Jackrabbits have had at least two players score in double figures in all 16 games so far this season, and nine different players have tallied double digits for scoring.
Senior forward Maria Boever has led or shared top-scoring honors seven times this season, while Kristin Rotert has paced the Jackrabbits four times, including a season-high 24 points — the most by an SDSU player this season — Dec. 28 against Northern Iowa.
A list of double-figure scoring games follows:
Gonzaga • Maria Boever (21), Jill Young (15), Leah Dietel (12), Ketty Cornemann (10)
Arizona State • Kristin Rotert (14), Jennie Sunnarborg (11)
Illinois State • Boever (17), Rotert (15), Sunnarborg (12), Macie Michelson (10)
Western Kentucky • Rotert (16), Michelson (13), Boever (11), Cornemann (10)
Charlotte • Boever (18), Rotert (13), Young (10)
Virginia • Boever (14), Steph Paluch (14), Rotert (14)
Western Illinois • Boever (14), Cornemann (14), Rotert (13)
IUPUI • Cornemann (18), Boever (14), Sunnarborg (13), Young (11)
Middle Tennesee State • Ashley Eide (17), Boever (13), Rotert (13), Sunnarborg (12), Young (11)
Utah • Rotert (13), Boever (10), Michelson (10)
Iowa • Young (16), Cornemann (14), Boever (13)
Northern Iowa • Rotert (24), Young (10)
Centenary • Rotert (15), Boever (12), Eide (12), Cornemann (11)
Oral Roberts • Boever (21), Cornemann (14), Young (12)
Southern Utah • Cornemann (15), Rotert (14)
UMKC • Boever (15), Cornemann (13), Rotert (11), Sunnarborg (11)
YOUTHFUL BENCH: While the Jackrabbits return four of their five regular starters from a year ago, SDSU has relied on a number of underclassmen to fill reserve roles this season.
Of the 15 players on the roster, five are true freshmen, one is a redshirt freshman, threeare sophomores, three are juniors and three are seniors.
With reigning Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year Jill Young settling into a starting role, the next top returning scorer off the bench is sophomore Jennie Sunnarborg, who averaged 3.3 points per game during the 2008-09 campaign, but has nearly doubled her scoring output to 6.4 points per game so far this season.
The Jackrabbits will look for an expanded role for sophomore guard Vanessa Johnson, who missed nearly half the 2008-09 season due to injury. Johnson averaged only 0.6 points per game during the 2008-09 season, but provides the Jackrabbits with another perimeter shooting threat.
Other returning bench players include senior point guard Alison Anderson and junior forward Jennifer Schuttloffel.
Of the six players in the freshman class, four are from the state of South Dakota. Ashley Eide (Sioux Falls), Tara Heiser (Watertown) and Steph Paluch (Pierre) will fill guard slots, while Katie Lingle (Pierre) will back up in the post. Heiser is expected to redshirt this season.
Rounding out the freshman class are Jordan, Minn., native Leah Dietel at forward and redshirt freshman post player Cala Westergard. A native of Charles City, Iowa, Westergard played in her first official game since her junior year of high school in the Nov. 15 matchup at Arizona State. Westergard missed her senior year of high school due to injury.
Despite its youth, the Jackrabbit reserves have outscored their counterparts in 10 of the 16 games this season. Ashley Eide has been the top scorer off the bench in five of SDSU's last eight games.
FOR STARTERS: Despite returning four regular starters from last year's squad, the Jackrabbit women's basketball team has shaken up the starting lineup this season. Through the first 15 games, SDSU has used three different starting lineups, with seven players cracking the starting five.
Maria Boever, Macie Michelson and Kristin Rotert have started all 15 games so far this season. The trio have teamed with Ketty Cornemann and Jill Young to start the last 10 games, during which the Jackrabbits have posted a 6-4 record.
• Gonzaga: Cornemann, Sunnarborg, Boever, Michelson, Rotert
• at Arizona State: Cornemann, Sunnarborg, Boever, Michelson, Rotert
• at Illinois State: Dietel, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Western Kentucky: Dietel, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• vs. Charlotte: Dietel, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• vs. Virginia: Dietel, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• at Western Illinois: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• at IUPUI: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Middle Tennessee: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Utah: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Iowa: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Northern Iowa: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Centenary: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Oral Roberts: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Southern Utah: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• UMKC: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
100 D-I WINS: 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. In its five-plus seasons competing at the Division I level, SDSU has compiled a 110-40 mark (.733 winning percentage) versus D-I opposition. The Jackrabbits have posted victories over 50 different Division I teams representing 18 conferences plus independents.
750 WINS: The Jackrabbits' victory over Oakland in the 2009 Summit League championship game was the 750th 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 759-338 (.692 winning percentage).
SDSU has a streak of 23 consecutive winning seasons.The Jackrabbits' last losing season was an 11-16 campaign during the 1985-86 season.
OPENING SUCCESS: The Jackrabbits' 75-71 overtime victory against Gonzaga in the 2009-10 season opener on Nov. 13 marked the 17th consecutive season SDSU opened with a win.
The last time the Jackrabbits lost a season opener was during the 1992-93 season, when they fell 74-72 to Moorhead State (Minn.).
TOUGH AT HOME: For the first time since Aaron Johnston's first full season as head coach — 2000-01 — the Jackrabbit women's basketball team has lost more than one home game.
In his tenure as Jackrabbit head coach, Johnston has led the Jackrabbits to a 120-14 record (.896 winning percentage) at Frost Arena, including a 65-6 mark at home during the Division I era. The Jackrabbits have put together winning streaks of 15, 15 and 22 in the process.
Since the start of the 2001-02 season, SDSU has a 109-9 home record, losing an average of just one game at Frost Arena each full season. The Jackrabbits capped the 2008-09 regular season with a 14-0 record — a mark that stands as the first undefeated home season in school history.
A loss to Western Kentucky earlier this season snapped a 35-game regular season home winning streak, as well as a 15-game overall winning streak that began after the Jackrabbits lost to Creighton (Neb.) in the opening round of the 2008 Women's NIT.
SDSU's loss to Oral Roberts on Jan. 4 marked its first home loss to a Summit League opponent. The Jackrabbits are 19-1 at Frost Arena against Summit League foes since joining the league in 2007-08.
BOEVER TOPS 1,000: South Dakota State senior forward Maria Boever became the 27th member of the Jackrabbit 1,000-Point Club, accomplishing the feat Dec. 7 at IUPUI.
With 14 points in the game, Boever upped her career total to 1,010 points. She has since gone on to tally 1,109 career points in 107 career games (10.4 ppg) as she moved past Sarita DeBoer (1,003 points from 2002-05) for 26th place. Next on the career scoring list is Dawn Hull, who scored 1,125 points from 1993-96.
A senior from Worthington, Minn., Boever finished as the team's second-leading scorer during her sophomore season in 2007-08 with an average of 12.2 points per game, then ranked fourth last year on a balanced Jackrabbit team with 10 points per game.
Two other Jackrabbit players could reach the 1,000-point plateau later this season: senior Ketty Cornemann and junior Kristin Rotert. Cornemann has tallied 845 career points, while Rotert has 836 career points.
100 GAMES: All three Jackrabbit seniors have reached the 100 games-played milestone during the 2009-10 season. Three-year starters Maria Boever and Ketty Cornemann each played in their 100th career game Dec. 13 against Middle Tennessee State,while reserve guard Alison Anderson joined the group Jan. 11 at UMKC.
During their three-plus seasons with the Jackrabbits, SDSU has posted a combined record of 88-24.
DOUBLE DUTY: Kristin Rotert turned in her first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds Jan. 9 at Southern Utah. It was the third double-double by a Jackrabbit player this season.
Maria Boever posted a pair of double-doubles in November. Boever began the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds in the season-opening overtime victory over Gonzaga (Wash.) on Nov. 13, then added 11 points and 10 boards in a Nov. 22 home loss to Western Kentucky.
Boever currently leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
THREE-POINT PROWESS: As a team, the Jackrabbits ranked fifth among Division I women's basketball teams by making an average of 8.5 three-pointers per game last season.
SDSU tied school and NCAA Tournament single-game records with 16 trifectas in its opening-round win over Texas Christian. The Jackrabbits made 10 or more three-pointers in a game nine times.
The Jackrabbits' 291 three-pointers as a team set SDSU and Summit League single-records, surpasing the school-record mark of 288 set by the 2001-02 squad, which was the first Jackrabbit team to qualify for the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
Through 16 games this season, the Jackrabbits have made 109 three-pointers, an average of 6.81 per game, while shooting a Summit League-best 37.3 percent (109-of-292) from beyond the arc. SDSU's opponents are 64-of-224 from behind the arc, 28.6 percent.
YOUNG FOR 3: Sophomore guard Jill Young will attempt to build on a strong showing from behind the three-point arc during her first season in a Jackrabbit uniform.
The Mitchell native ranked third among NCAA Division I players during the 2008-09 season by shooting at a 46.1 percent (82-of-178) clip from three-point range. Young's 82 made three-pointers also set a Jackrabbit freshman record, eclipsing the mark of 58 set by Kristin Rotert during the 2007-08 campaign.
Young comes into Saturday's matchup against North Dakota State with 112 career three-pointers, topping the 100 mark with three triples Dec. 13 against Middle Tennessee State. She has made at least one three-pointer in 14 of the 16 games this season, including a season-best four three-pointers Jan. 4 against Oral Roberts.
For her career, Young is shooting 43.6 percent from three-point range, 112-of-257.
ROTERT CRACKS TOP 10: Junior wing Kristin Rotert joined the Jackrabbit career top 10 this season and is on pace to move up a few more spots this season.
The Salem native leads the team with 32 three-pointers after making three three-pointers in a game seven different times this season. She upped her career total to 150 with one trifecta Jan. 11 at UMKC. Next on the list is Andrea Verdegan, whose eighth-place total of 152 three-pointers was accumulated from 2005-08.
Rotert set a then-freshman record with 58 three-pointers during the 2007-08 season and ranked second on the team with 60 treys last season.
100 3's TIMES THREE: Senior forward Ketty Cornemann enters Saturday's game one three-pointer away from becoming the third current Jackrabbit player to sink 100 career three-pointers. The Yankton native ranks second in The Summit League for three-point shooting percentage this season, connecting at a 42.2 percent (19-of-45) clip from long range.
JOHNSON JOINS THE CROWD: Sophomore guard Vanessa Johnson became the 12th Jackrabbit player this season to make a three-pointer, when she canned a trifecta from the right wing in the first half of the Jan. 2 game against Centenary. Johnson finished the game with a career-high five points.
SENIOR LEADERS: Through the first six conference games, Ketty Cornemann and Maria Boever have been consistent performers for the Jackrabbits.
The senior from Yankton has reached double figures for scoring in all six games, sharing the team lead with a 14.2 points-per-game average in league games. She began her streak with 14 points at Western Illinois on Dec. 5, followed by a season-high 18 points Dec. 7 at IUPUI.
Boever also is averaging 14.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in league play, while reaching double figures for scoring in five Summit League contests. Boever is shooting 55.6 percent (30-of-54) from the field and 75.8 percent (25-for-33) from the free throw line in league games.
RUNNING THE POINT: Junior point guard Macie Michelson has added to her team-leading assist total with a combined 19 assists and only nine turnovers in the last five games.
Michelson leads the team with 57 assists and ranks second in The Summit League for assist-turnover ratio.
EIDE OFF THE BENCH: Freshman wing Ashley Eide has given the Jackrabbits a boost off the bench in recent weeks. In three of the last four games, Eide has led Jackrabbit reserves in scoring. She was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field en route to 12 points against Centenary (La.) on Jan. 2, then scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds Jan. 4 versus Oral Roberts. In the Jan. 9 matchup at Southern Utah, Eided tallied seven points and hauled down a career-high nine rebounds.
Eide scored a career-high 17 points against Middle Tennessee State on Dec. 13.
BATTLE OF THE BOARDS: The Jackrabbit women's basketball team had its streak of winning 36 consecutive games in which it has held a rebounding advantage end in the 81-74 loss Nov. 22 to Western Kentucky. SDSU won the last 10 games of the 2007-08 season, all 25 during the 2008-09 season and the first game of the 2009-10 season in which it held an edge on the boards.
Previously, the last time SDSU lost a game it won the battle of the boards was a 67-60 defeat at Western Illinois on Jan. 14, 2008.
The Jackrabbits' victory over Northern Iowa on Dec. 28 marked the first time this season SDSU won a game in which it was out-rebounded.
On their recent road swing to Southern Utah and UMKC, the Jackrabbits held a plus-29 rebounding advantage in the two games combined.
COACH AARON JOHNSTON: Now in his 10th season as head coach of the South Dakota State University women's basketball team, Aaron Johnston has taken the Jackrabbit program to the top of NCAA Division II and is leading SDSU to national prominence at the Division I level.
Johnston, who coached his 300th game Dec. 19 at Utah, has compiled a career record of 233-73 (.761 winning percentage), ranking second on the SDSU career victories list behind his predecessor, Nancy Neiber, who compiled a 301-140 record in 16 seasons from 1985-2000. Johnston posted his 200th career victory on Dec. 4, 2008, when the Jackrabbits defeated Centenary (La.) His career totals have included a 37-5 record (.881 winning percentage) in Summit League regular season games and a 16-5 mark (.762 winning percentage) in postseason games.
The Summit League Coach of the Year in each of the Jackrabbits' first two seasons in the 10-team league, Johnston was named a finalist for the 2009 Naismith Award as the nation's top coach. SDSU tied a school record for victories in a season with 32 during the 2008-09 campaign and gained national attention by vaulting into the top 25 in December after non-conference victories over the likes of Wisconsin, Utah, Minnesota and Gonzaga (Wash.). The Jackrabbits were ranked in the final 13 USAToday/ESPN regular season coaches' polls, climbing as high as 14th in the coaches' poll and 16th in the Associated Press poll. SDSU finished the 2008-09 season ranked 19th in the coaches' poll.
Along the way to a 32-3 overall record, the Jackrabbits received national media coverage from CBS Sports, USA Today, ESPN.com, Sports Illustrated and The New York Times.
THE ROSTER: The 2009-10 SDSU women's basketball roster features 15 players from three different states. Of the 15 players, nine are from South Dakota, five are from Minnesota and one is from Iowa. By class, three are seniors, three are juniors, three are sophomores, one is a redshirt freshman and five are incoming freshmen.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits return home for the first time in nearly three weeks, hosting a doubleheader against Oakland on Jan. 23. Tipoff of the women's game is 5 p.m. at Frost Arena, followed by the men's game at 7:30 p.m.
Tipoff is slated for 7:05 p.m. at the Bison Sports Arena on the North Dakota State University campus in Fargo. The game is scheduled to be televised on KSFY-TV in Sioux Falls and Fargo-based KVLY-TV.
Both teams enter the key league matchup with 4-2 records in league play. The Bison are 9-7 overall after being swept at UMKC (73-64) and Southern Utah (59-58) last week. SDSU comes into the game 8-8 overall. The Jackrabbits won at Southern Utah (59-45) on Jan. 9, before falling 67-64 at UMKC two days later.
THE SERIES: Saturday's game marks the renewal of a rivalry that will become the Jackrabbits' most-played series by season's end.
Since the series started during the 1976-77 season with a 77-61 Jackrabbit victory, the two teams have met 68 times, with NDSU holding a 37-31 series advantage. The Jackrabbits have held the upper hand recently, winning the last eight meetings and
compiling a 14-6 mark during Aaron Johnston's tenure as head coach.
The Bison hold the longest winning streak in the series, rattling off nine consecutive victories between the 1989-90 and 1993-94 seasons.
SDSU recorded a pair of double-digit victories during the 2008-09 season, opening the season series with a 64-48 win Jan. 24, 2009, at Frost Arena. The Jackrabbits, who led ony 27-25 at halftime, pulled away in the second half behind 26 points and 13 rebounds from Summit League Player of the Year Jennifer Warkenthien. Kristin Rotert and Ketty Cornemann each added nine points.
Jerri Penley and Katie Birkel each scored 11 points to lead the Bison. Inger Hodgson added 10.
In the rematch Feb. 21 in Fargo, the Jackrabbits rolled to a 70-36 victory. SDSU led 32-14 at halftime en route to its 12th consecutive win of the season.
Warkenthien posted another double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Maria Boever and Stacie Oistad each tallied 10 points.
Penley was the lone player in double figures for the Bison with 12 points.
NDSU's last win in the series was a buzzer-beating 64-63 decision in Fargo during the 2004-05 season.
Saturday's 69th meeting between SDSU and NDSU ties the series with Augustana as the Jackrabbits' most-played opponent. SDSU holds a 48-21 edge over the Vikings.
JACKRABBITS ONLINE: Audio and video coverage of Saturday's game is scheduled to be available via subscription service at GoJacks.com, the official website of SDSU athletics. Monthly subscriptions for the Jackrabbit Extra, which includes live audio and video streaming of most Jackrabbit basketball games, are available for $9.95 per month or $79.95 on a limited-time basis 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.
Local radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. Central Time on the Jackrabbit Radio Network, with Tyler Merriam calling the play-by-play and former assistant coach Laurie Melum providing color commentary. Brookings-based KJJQ 910 AM will serve as the flagship station of the network, with coverage of Saturday's game also available on WNAX 570 AM in Yankton and Pierre-based KGFX 1060 AM.
JACKRABBIT INSIDER: Throughout the 2009-10 women's basketball season, head coach Aaron Johnston will be a guest on the “Jackrabbit Insider,” a weekly behind-the-scenes look at South Dakota State University athletics.
The half-hour television show which features highlights of SDSU athletic events, as well as interviews with Jackrabbit coaches and student-athletes, airs Sundays at 10:35 p.m., following KSFY ActionNews. The show also can be viewed online at GoJacks.com.
LAST WEEK: The Jackrabbits split a pair of Summit League games during a road trip to Southern Utah and UMKC.
SDSU 59, Southern Utah 45
Ketty Cornemann and Kristin Rotert combined for 29 points, leading South Dakota State to a 59-45 victory over Southern Utah Jan. 9 in Cedar City, Utah.
Rotert, a 6-foot wing from Salem, completed her first career double-double with a career-high 11 rebounds as the Jackrabbits improved to 8-7 overall and 4-1 in league play. SUU dropped to 3-12 overall, 1-3 in The Summit League.
A senior from Yankton, Cornemann paced the Jackrabbits in a strong start by scoring nine of the team's first 10 points as SDSU grabbed a 10-2 lead in the first three and a half minutes. The Jackrabbits, who never trailed, built a double-digit lead for the first time at 15-5 after two free throws by Rotert.
SDSU continued to widen the margin with strong shooting at the free throw line, coupled by cold shooting from the field by the Thunderbirds. The Jackrabbits led by as many as 19 three times in the opening half, including a 36-17 advantage at intermission. SDSU converted 15-of-19 attempts, 75.9 percent, in the first half.
Meanwhile, SUU made only 7-of-32 field goal attempts in the opening half, 21.9 percent.
The Thunderbirds chipped away at the deficit early in the second half, pulling to within nine, 42-33, with just over 12 minutes remaining. However, SDSU put the game out of reach with a 13-2 run over the next five minutes to take its largest lead of the night at 55-35.
Cornemann led all players with 15 points, while Rotert added 14 points as she made all seven of her free throw attempts
The best-shooting team in The Summit League, SDSU finished the game an uncharacteristic 34 percent from the field, 18-of-53. The Jackrabbits ended up 22-of-29 at the line, 75.9 percent.
Neither team hit the mark from three point range; SDSU was 1-for-11, while Southern Utah was a measly 1-of-17. The Thunderbirds ended the game 19-of-65 from the field overall, 29.2 percent, and 6-of-9 at the line.
The Jackrabbits dominated the rebounding category, 52-32. Besides Rotert's game-high 11 boards, Maria Boever and Ashley Eide each recorded nine rebounds, with Eide's total also a career high.
Challis Pascucci turned in a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Caitlyn Sears added 11 points.
UMKC 67, SDSU 64
The roller-coaster ride that has been the South Dakota State University women's basketball team's season continued Jan. 11 as the Jackrabbits dropped a 67-64 decision at UMKC.
The Jackrabbits fell to 8-8 overall and 4-2 in The Summit League. UMKC improved to 7-9 overall and 4-1 in league play.
For the second Monday night in a row, the Jackrabbits were never able to gain a lead. After SDSU tied the game at 13-all on a Maria Boever basket with 12 minutes and 10 seconds remaining in the front half, UMKC went on a quick 7-0 run to take the lead for good.
The Jackrabbits got back to within a basket at 20-18, but the final nine minutes of the half belonged to UMKC. The Kangaroos put together a 14-6 run to close the half and take a 38-27 lead at halftime.
The Kangaroos scored the first four points of the second half to build their largest lead of the night at 15 points, 42-27, only to see SDSU come charging back.
Ketty Cornemann, who did not score in the first half, led the Jackrabbits' second-half charge. The senior from Yankton hit back-to-back three-pointers to pull SDSU to within 44-37 at the 16:45 mark. Two Cornemann free throws with 12:07 remaining brought the Jackrabbits to within three, 47-44, and a basket by Jennie Sunnarborg on the next SDSU possession put the run at 19-5 and cut the deficit to one.
UMKC was able to regain the momentum, countering with a 6-0 spurt and holding the Jackrabbits scoreless for nearly five minutes. Chazny Morris, who scored a game-high 24 points, put the game out of reach with a basket and free throw that gave UMKC a 63-53 lead inside of four minutes to play.
The Jackrabbits put together one last run, pulling to within 63-60 on a Jill Young three-pointer with 49 seconds remaining. Sam Sikkink sealed the Kangaroo victory by making all four of her free throw attempts in the closing seconds.
Jade Tinner, who was 8-of-10 from the field for 17 points, and Simone Bridges with 10 also reached double figures for the Kangaroos.
Field goal statistics were nearly identical: UMKC finished the game 23-of-51, 45.1 percent, while SDSU was 22-of-53, 41.5 percent. The Jackrabbits made 6-of-19 three-point tries, compared to 3-of-11 for UMKC. At the line, SDSU made 14-of-17 attempts for 82.4 percent, with the Kangaroos making 18-fo-28 tries for 64.3 percent.
Boever led four Jackrabbit players in double figures with 15 points. Cornemann finished the night with 13, while Kristin Rotert and Sunnarborg each tallied 11. Boever also collected a game-high seven rebounds to pace the Jackrabbits' 36-27 rebounding advantage.
Turnovers proved to be a downfall for SDSU, which committed 18 miscues, compared to only nine by UMKC.
SUMMIT LEAGUE DOMINANCE: South Dakota State has built an impressive Summit League résumé as it plays its third season in the 10-team conference.
In its two-plus seasons as a league member, the Jackrabbits have compiled a 37-5 record in Summit League regular season games en route to consecutive outright league titles with records of 16-2 in 2007-08 and 17-1 during the 2008-09 season. SDSU has gone 19-1 at home and has won at least one game on every other Summit League member's home court.
SDSU also is 3-0 in Summit League postseason tournament games after winning the 2009 championship in its first year of eligibility. The Summit League Championship returns to Sioux Falls March 6-9, 2010.
PRESEASON FAVORITES: The South Dakota State University women's basketball team is a near-unanimous pick to repeat as Summit League champions, as selected by the annual preseason poll of league coaches, sports information directors and media, which was released in October.
The Jackrabbits, who return four starters, received 25 of the 27 first-place votes to tally 419 points. Oakland University (Mich.), which lost to SDSU in the Summit League Championship last season, earned one first-place vote and finished second in the poll with 365 points. North Dakota State was third with 318 points, while Oral Roberts (Okla.) picked up the other first-place vote to finish fourth with 289 points.
PRESEASON HONORS: Although South Dakota State does not have a player on the preseason all-Summit League First Team, four Jackrabbit players received preseason accolades by being named to the all-league second team: senior forwards Maria Boever and Ketty Cornemann, junior guard/forward Kristin Rotert and sophomore guard Jill Young.
Boever, a 6-foot-1 senior forward from Worthington, Minn., earned honorable mention all-Summit League honors last season after averaging 10.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. She scored in double figures 14 times and added a pair of double-digit rebounding performances.
A 5-11 senior forward, Cornemann earned all-Summit League second-team recognition during the 2008-09 season. One of only two Jackrabbits to start all 35 games, she reached double figures 13 times en route to averaging 8.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Rotert, a 6-foot junior wing, was another honorable mention all-league performer after averaging 10.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. She ranked second on the team with 60 three-pointers and had the tendency to rise to the occasion in big games, posting double figures for scoring 17 times.
Young, a 5-7 sophomore guard, earned Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year honors and a spot on the Summit League All-Newcomer Team after ranking second on the team in scoring at 10.2 points per game. The Mitchell native established a Jackrabbit freshman record with 82 three-pointers.
UMKC guard Chazny Morris was named the Preseason Player of the Year. She was joined on the first team by North Dakota State guard Inger Hodgson, IPFW guard Chelsey Jackson, Oakland guard Melissa Jeltema, Oral Roberts guard/forward Janae Voelker and IUPUI center Julia Whitted.
DIFFICULT SCHEDULE: The Jackrabbit women's basketball team wrapped up a difficult slate of non-conference games with the Dec. 28 victory over Northern Iowa.
Of SDSU's 10 non-conference games, eight were against an opponent that played in the postseason a year ago. Seven of those games were against fellow NCAA Tournament teams as the Jackrabbits met Virginia in the second round of the Junkanoo Jam in The Bahamas.
Virginia is currently ranked 23rd and 24th, in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls, respectively. Arizona State and Gonzaga (Wash.) are receiving votes.
DEPTH AND BALANCE: The Jackrabbits have had at least two players score in double figures in all 16 games so far this season, and nine different players have tallied double digits for scoring.
Senior forward Maria Boever has led or shared top-scoring honors seven times this season, while Kristin Rotert has paced the Jackrabbits four times, including a season-high 24 points — the most by an SDSU player this season — Dec. 28 against Northern Iowa.
A list of double-figure scoring games follows:
Gonzaga • Maria Boever (21), Jill Young (15), Leah Dietel (12), Ketty Cornemann (10)
Arizona State • Kristin Rotert (14), Jennie Sunnarborg (11)
Illinois State • Boever (17), Rotert (15), Sunnarborg (12), Macie Michelson (10)
Western Kentucky • Rotert (16), Michelson (13), Boever (11), Cornemann (10)
Charlotte • Boever (18), Rotert (13), Young (10)
Virginia • Boever (14), Steph Paluch (14), Rotert (14)
Western Illinois • Boever (14), Cornemann (14), Rotert (13)
IUPUI • Cornemann (18), Boever (14), Sunnarborg (13), Young (11)
Middle Tennesee State • Ashley Eide (17), Boever (13), Rotert (13), Sunnarborg (12), Young (11)
Utah • Rotert (13), Boever (10), Michelson (10)
Iowa • Young (16), Cornemann (14), Boever (13)
Northern Iowa • Rotert (24), Young (10)
Centenary • Rotert (15), Boever (12), Eide (12), Cornemann (11)
Oral Roberts • Boever (21), Cornemann (14), Young (12)
Southern Utah • Cornemann (15), Rotert (14)
UMKC • Boever (15), Cornemann (13), Rotert (11), Sunnarborg (11)
YOUTHFUL BENCH: While the Jackrabbits return four of their five regular starters from a year ago, SDSU has relied on a number of underclassmen to fill reserve roles this season.
Of the 15 players on the roster, five are true freshmen, one is a redshirt freshman, threeare sophomores, three are juniors and three are seniors.
With reigning Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year Jill Young settling into a starting role, the next top returning scorer off the bench is sophomore Jennie Sunnarborg, who averaged 3.3 points per game during the 2008-09 campaign, but has nearly doubled her scoring output to 6.4 points per game so far this season.
The Jackrabbits will look for an expanded role for sophomore guard Vanessa Johnson, who missed nearly half the 2008-09 season due to injury. Johnson averaged only 0.6 points per game during the 2008-09 season, but provides the Jackrabbits with another perimeter shooting threat.
Other returning bench players include senior point guard Alison Anderson and junior forward Jennifer Schuttloffel.
Of the six players in the freshman class, four are from the state of South Dakota. Ashley Eide (Sioux Falls), Tara Heiser (Watertown) and Steph Paluch (Pierre) will fill guard slots, while Katie Lingle (Pierre) will back up in the post. Heiser is expected to redshirt this season.
Rounding out the freshman class are Jordan, Minn., native Leah Dietel at forward and redshirt freshman post player Cala Westergard. A native of Charles City, Iowa, Westergard played in her first official game since her junior year of high school in the Nov. 15 matchup at Arizona State. Westergard missed her senior year of high school due to injury.
Despite its youth, the Jackrabbit reserves have outscored their counterparts in 10 of the 16 games this season. Ashley Eide has been the top scorer off the bench in five of SDSU's last eight games.
FOR STARTERS: Despite returning four regular starters from last year's squad, the Jackrabbit women's basketball team has shaken up the starting lineup this season. Through the first 15 games, SDSU has used three different starting lineups, with seven players cracking the starting five.
Maria Boever, Macie Michelson and Kristin Rotert have started all 15 games so far this season. The trio have teamed with Ketty Cornemann and Jill Young to start the last 10 games, during which the Jackrabbits have posted a 6-4 record.
• Gonzaga: Cornemann, Sunnarborg, Boever, Michelson, Rotert
• at Arizona State: Cornemann, Sunnarborg, Boever, Michelson, Rotert
• at Illinois State: Dietel, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Western Kentucky: Dietel, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• vs. Charlotte: Dietel, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• vs. Virginia: Dietel, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• at Western Illinois: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• at IUPUI: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Middle Tennessee: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Utah: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Iowa: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Northern Iowa: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Centenary: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Oral Roberts: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• Southern Utah: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
• UMKC: Cornemann, Boever, Michelson, Young, Rotert
100 D-I WINS: 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. In its five-plus seasons competing at the Division I level, SDSU has compiled a 110-40 mark (.733 winning percentage) versus D-I opposition. The Jackrabbits have posted victories over 50 different Division I teams representing 18 conferences plus independents.
750 WINS: The Jackrabbits' victory over Oakland in the 2009 Summit League championship game was the 750th 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 759-338 (.692 winning percentage).
SDSU has a streak of 23 consecutive winning seasons.The Jackrabbits' last losing season was an 11-16 campaign during the 1985-86 season.
OPENING SUCCESS: The Jackrabbits' 75-71 overtime victory against Gonzaga in the 2009-10 season opener on Nov. 13 marked the 17th consecutive season SDSU opened with a win.
The last time the Jackrabbits lost a season opener was during the 1992-93 season, when they fell 74-72 to Moorhead State (Minn.).
TOUGH AT HOME: For the first time since Aaron Johnston's first full season as head coach — 2000-01 — the Jackrabbit women's basketball team has lost more than one home game.
In his tenure as Jackrabbit head coach, Johnston has led the Jackrabbits to a 120-14 record (.896 winning percentage) at Frost Arena, including a 65-6 mark at home during the Division I era. The Jackrabbits have put together winning streaks of 15, 15 and 22 in the process.
Since the start of the 2001-02 season, SDSU has a 109-9 home record, losing an average of just one game at Frost Arena each full season. The Jackrabbits capped the 2008-09 regular season with a 14-0 record — a mark that stands as the first undefeated home season in school history.
A loss to Western Kentucky earlier this season snapped a 35-game regular season home winning streak, as well as a 15-game overall winning streak that began after the Jackrabbits lost to Creighton (Neb.) in the opening round of the 2008 Women's NIT.
SDSU's loss to Oral Roberts on Jan. 4 marked its first home loss to a Summit League opponent. The Jackrabbits are 19-1 at Frost Arena against Summit League foes since joining the league in 2007-08.
BOEVER TOPS 1,000: South Dakota State senior forward Maria Boever became the 27th member of the Jackrabbit 1,000-Point Club, accomplishing the feat Dec. 7 at IUPUI.
With 14 points in the game, Boever upped her career total to 1,010 points. She has since gone on to tally 1,109 career points in 107 career games (10.4 ppg) as she moved past Sarita DeBoer (1,003 points from 2002-05) for 26th place. Next on the career scoring list is Dawn Hull, who scored 1,125 points from 1993-96.
A senior from Worthington, Minn., Boever finished as the team's second-leading scorer during her sophomore season in 2007-08 with an average of 12.2 points per game, then ranked fourth last year on a balanced Jackrabbit team with 10 points per game.
Two other Jackrabbit players could reach the 1,000-point plateau later this season: senior Ketty Cornemann and junior Kristin Rotert. Cornemann has tallied 845 career points, while Rotert has 836 career points.
100 GAMES: All three Jackrabbit seniors have reached the 100 games-played milestone during the 2009-10 season. Three-year starters Maria Boever and Ketty Cornemann each played in their 100th career game Dec. 13 against Middle Tennessee State,while reserve guard Alison Anderson joined the group Jan. 11 at UMKC.
During their three-plus seasons with the Jackrabbits, SDSU has posted a combined record of 88-24.
DOUBLE DUTY: Kristin Rotert turned in her first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds Jan. 9 at Southern Utah. It was the third double-double by a Jackrabbit player this season.
Maria Boever posted a pair of double-doubles in November. Boever began the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds in the season-opening overtime victory over Gonzaga (Wash.) on Nov. 13, then added 11 points and 10 boards in a Nov. 22 home loss to Western Kentucky.
Boever currently leads the team in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
THREE-POINT PROWESS: As a team, the Jackrabbits ranked fifth among Division I women's basketball teams by making an average of 8.5 three-pointers per game last season.
SDSU tied school and NCAA Tournament single-game records with 16 trifectas in its opening-round win over Texas Christian. The Jackrabbits made 10 or more three-pointers in a game nine times.
The Jackrabbits' 291 three-pointers as a team set SDSU and Summit League single-records, surpasing the school-record mark of 288 set by the 2001-02 squad, which was the first Jackrabbit team to qualify for the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
Through 16 games this season, the Jackrabbits have made 109 three-pointers, an average of 6.81 per game, while shooting a Summit League-best 37.3 percent (109-of-292) from beyond the arc. SDSU's opponents are 64-of-224 from behind the arc, 28.6 percent.
YOUNG FOR 3: Sophomore guard Jill Young will attempt to build on a strong showing from behind the three-point arc during her first season in a Jackrabbit uniform.
The Mitchell native ranked third among NCAA Division I players during the 2008-09 season by shooting at a 46.1 percent (82-of-178) clip from three-point range. Young's 82 made three-pointers also set a Jackrabbit freshman record, eclipsing the mark of 58 set by Kristin Rotert during the 2007-08 campaign.
Young comes into Saturday's matchup against North Dakota State with 112 career three-pointers, topping the 100 mark with three triples Dec. 13 against Middle Tennessee State. She has made at least one three-pointer in 14 of the 16 games this season, including a season-best four three-pointers Jan. 4 against Oral Roberts.
For her career, Young is shooting 43.6 percent from three-point range, 112-of-257.
ROTERT CRACKS TOP 10: Junior wing Kristin Rotert joined the Jackrabbit career top 10 this season and is on pace to move up a few more spots this season.
The Salem native leads the team with 32 three-pointers after making three three-pointers in a game seven different times this season. She upped her career total to 150 with one trifecta Jan. 11 at UMKC. Next on the list is Andrea Verdegan, whose eighth-place total of 152 three-pointers was accumulated from 2005-08.
Rotert set a then-freshman record with 58 three-pointers during the 2007-08 season and ranked second on the team with 60 treys last season.
100 3's TIMES THREE: Senior forward Ketty Cornemann enters Saturday's game one three-pointer away from becoming the third current Jackrabbit player to sink 100 career three-pointers. The Yankton native ranks second in The Summit League for three-point shooting percentage this season, connecting at a 42.2 percent (19-of-45) clip from long range.
JOHNSON JOINS THE CROWD: Sophomore guard Vanessa Johnson became the 12th Jackrabbit player this season to make a three-pointer, when she canned a trifecta from the right wing in the first half of the Jan. 2 game against Centenary. Johnson finished the game with a career-high five points.
SENIOR LEADERS: Through the first six conference games, Ketty Cornemann and Maria Boever have been consistent performers for the Jackrabbits.
The senior from Yankton has reached double figures for scoring in all six games, sharing the team lead with a 14.2 points-per-game average in league games. She began her streak with 14 points at Western Illinois on Dec. 5, followed by a season-high 18 points Dec. 7 at IUPUI.
Boever also is averaging 14.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in league play, while reaching double figures for scoring in five Summit League contests. Boever is shooting 55.6 percent (30-of-54) from the field and 75.8 percent (25-for-33) from the free throw line in league games.
RUNNING THE POINT: Junior point guard Macie Michelson has added to her team-leading assist total with a combined 19 assists and only nine turnovers in the last five games.
Michelson leads the team with 57 assists and ranks second in The Summit League for assist-turnover ratio.
EIDE OFF THE BENCH: Freshman wing Ashley Eide has given the Jackrabbits a boost off the bench in recent weeks. In three of the last four games, Eide has led Jackrabbit reserves in scoring. She was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field en route to 12 points against Centenary (La.) on Jan. 2, then scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds Jan. 4 versus Oral Roberts. In the Jan. 9 matchup at Southern Utah, Eided tallied seven points and hauled down a career-high nine rebounds.
Eide scored a career-high 17 points against Middle Tennessee State on Dec. 13.
BATTLE OF THE BOARDS: The Jackrabbit women's basketball team had its streak of winning 36 consecutive games in which it has held a rebounding advantage end in the 81-74 loss Nov. 22 to Western Kentucky. SDSU won the last 10 games of the 2007-08 season, all 25 during the 2008-09 season and the first game of the 2009-10 season in which it held an edge on the boards.
Previously, the last time SDSU lost a game it won the battle of the boards was a 67-60 defeat at Western Illinois on Jan. 14, 2008.
The Jackrabbits' victory over Northern Iowa on Dec. 28 marked the first time this season SDSU won a game in which it was out-rebounded.
On their recent road swing to Southern Utah and UMKC, the Jackrabbits held a plus-29 rebounding advantage in the two games combined.
COACH AARON JOHNSTON: Now in his 10th season as head coach of the South Dakota State University women's basketball team, Aaron Johnston has taken the Jackrabbit program to the top of NCAA Division II and is leading SDSU to national prominence at the Division I level.
Johnston, who coached his 300th game Dec. 19 at Utah, has compiled a career record of 233-73 (.761 winning percentage), ranking second on the SDSU career victories list behind his predecessor, Nancy Neiber, who compiled a 301-140 record in 16 seasons from 1985-2000. Johnston posted his 200th career victory on Dec. 4, 2008, when the Jackrabbits defeated Centenary (La.) His career totals have included a 37-5 record (.881 winning percentage) in Summit League regular season games and a 16-5 mark (.762 winning percentage) in postseason games.
The Summit League Coach of the Year in each of the Jackrabbits' first two seasons in the 10-team league, Johnston was named a finalist for the 2009 Naismith Award as the nation's top coach. SDSU tied a school record for victories in a season with 32 during the 2008-09 campaign and gained national attention by vaulting into the top 25 in December after non-conference victories over the likes of Wisconsin, Utah, Minnesota and Gonzaga (Wash.). The Jackrabbits were ranked in the final 13 USAToday/ESPN regular season coaches' polls, climbing as high as 14th in the coaches' poll and 16th in the Associated Press poll. SDSU finished the 2008-09 season ranked 19th in the coaches' poll.
Along the way to a 32-3 overall record, the Jackrabbits received national media coverage from CBS Sports, USA Today, ESPN.com, Sports Illustrated and The New York Times.
THE ROSTER: The 2009-10 SDSU women's basketball roster features 15 players from three different states. Of the 15 players, nine are from South Dakota, five are from Minnesota and one is from Iowa. By class, three are seniors, three are juniors, three are sophomores, one is a redshirt freshman and five are incoming freshmen.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits return home for the first time in nearly three weeks, hosting a doubleheader against Oakland on Jan. 23. Tipoff of the women's game is 5 p.m. at Frost Arena, followed by the men's game at 7:30 p.m.
Players Mentioned
PLAYER
/ Women's Cross Country
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballSaturday, March 21
Friday, March 20
Monday, March 09
Monday, March 09