Jackrabbit women turn back Southern Utah

Saturday, January 9

Cedar City, Utah

5 p.m. MT

South Dakota State University

Southern Utah

1/9/2010 10:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball

By: SDSU Sports Info

CEDAR CITY, Utah - Ketty Cornemann and Kristin Rotert combined for 29 points, leading South Dakota State to a 59-45 victory over Southern Utah in Summit League women's basketball action Saturday.

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.

SDSU resumes Summit League play Monday at UMKC. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Swinney Recreation Center in Kansas City, Mo.

NOTES: SDSU leads the all-time series 5-0 ... the Jackrabbits improved to 37-4 in Summit League games ... Rotert made a three-pointer for the 14^th time in 15 games this season ...Rotert's double-double was the third by an SDSU player this season, and the first since Boever tallied 11 points and 10 rebounds against Western Kentucky on Nov. 22 ... the Jackrabbits have had at least two players score in double figures in every game this season ... with seven points off the bench, Eide led Jackrabbit reserves in scoring for the fifth time in the last seven games ... SDSU held a 17-9 advantage in bench points ... the Jackrabbits' 52 rebounds were their most in a game this season and their plus-20 rebound margin was their largest of the season ... attendance was 644