Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Augustana (Exhibition) on October 29, 2025 at 6 p.m.
/
6 p.m.
Women's Basketball
vs Augustana (Exhibition)
South Dakota State University Athletics
Jacks host Oakland on Thursday
12/28/2011 2:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
After a week-long break, the South Dakota State University women's basketball team resumes action Thursday night by hosting Oakland in a Summit League matchup.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Frost Arena.
The Jackrabbits enter the game 7-6 overall and 2-0 in league play after sweeping a road series at Western Illinois and IUPUI to kick off the Summit League season four weeks ago. SDSU will attempt to attempt a two-game losing skid, falling at major
conference opponents Marquette and Nebraska last week.
Oakland, meanwhile, comes into Thursday's game with a 5-6 overall record, including a 1-1 mark in Summit League action. The Golden Grizzlies split their first two league games at home, edging UMKC, 71-65 in overtime on Dec. 1, before dropping a 58-51 decision to South Dakota on Dec. 3. In its last outing, Oakland fell 69-65 in overtime at Buffalo (N.Y.). The Golden Grizzlies are 1-2 in overtime games so far this season.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Frost Arena.
The Jackrabbits enter the game 7-6 overall and 2-0 in league play after sweeping a road series at Western Illinois and IUPUI to kick off the Summit League season four weeks ago. SDSU will attempt to attempt a two-game losing skid, falling at major
conference opponents Marquette and Nebraska last week.
Oakland, meanwhile, comes into Thursday's game with a 5-6 overall record, including a 1-1 mark in Summit League action. The Golden Grizzlies split their first two league games at home, edging UMKC, 71-65 in overtime on Dec. 1, before dropping a 58-51 decision to South Dakota on Dec. 3. In its last outing, Oakland fell 69-65 in overtime at Buffalo (N.Y.). The Golden Grizzlies are 1-2 in overtime games so far this season.
THE SERIES: The series between South Dakota State and Oakland has developed into one of the top rivalries in The Summit League as the two programs have met twice in league championship games (2009, 2011).
Overall, the Jackrabbits lead the all-time series by a 7-3 count. The two teams have split the regular season series each of the last three seasons, although SDSU has won each of the tournament matchups.
During the 2010-11 campaign, each team won on the other's home floor. Oakland escaped with a 57-56 victory at Frost Arena on Jan. 24 in the first meeting of the season behind a pair of double-double performances. Bethany Watterworth recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Sharise Calhoun tallied 16 points and 12 boards.
For SDSU, Kristin Rotert notched a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Jennie Sunnarborg also scored a dozen.
In the rematch Feb. 19 in Rochester, Mich., the Jackrabbits strung together 21 consecutive points over an eight-minute stretch and never looked back en route to a 76-52
victory. Katie Lingle posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds and three other SDSU players scored in double figures.
Oakland received 21 points from Watterworth, with Calhoun adding 10 points.
The third-seeded Jackrabbits and fourth-seeded Golden Grizzlies met for a third time in Sioux Falls on March 8 for the right to advance to the NCAA?Tournament. SDSU grabbed the lead for good at 19-17, built the advantage to 10 midway through the second half and held off a late OU rally.
Rotert, the tournament MVP, scored 17 points, while Sunnarborg collected 13 points and a career-high nine assists. Watterworth scored 17 to lead OU, followed by 12 points from Sharise Calhoun and a 10-point, 12-rebound performance by Zakiya Minifee.
MEDIA COVERAGE: Audio and coverage of Thursday's game is scheduled to be available via the Jackrabbit Extra 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 select contests are available for $11.95 per month or $99.95 for an entire year of coverage. A pay-per-view option for Thursday's game also is available for $4.95.
Local radio coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. Central Time on the Jackrabbit Sports Network, with J.J. Hartigan calling the play-by-play. Besides network flagship WNAX 570 AM, the game can be heard on the following Jackrabbit Sports Network affiliates:
* KJJQ?910 AM-Brookings
* KRKI 99.1 FM-Rapid City
* KGFX 1060 AM-Pierre
* KSDR 1480 AM-Watertown
JACKRABBIT INSIDER: Throughout the 2011-12 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 interviews with Jackrabbit coaches and student-athletes, airs Sundays at 10:30 p.m. on Sioux Falls-based KTTW?FOX?7. The show is also broadcast on FOX Sports North at 6 p.m. Tuesdays and on FOX?College Sports Central at 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Online, the show can be viewed at GoJacks.com.
OPENING SUCCESS: The Jackrabbits' 74-35 victory over St. Cloud State in the 2011-12 season opener at Frost Arena on Nov. 11 marked the 19th 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.).
NEW LOWS: The Jackrabbits' 22 points in a loss to Cincinnati on Nov. 24 was by far the lowest point total by an SDSU squad during the Division I era and the lowest with a shot clock in use. The previous low was 40 points - also in a 33-point loss - at Purdue (Ind.) on Nov. 18, 2010, in the semifinals of the Preseason Women's NIT.
Overall, the 22 points were the third fewest in a game in school history. Ironically, the Jackrabbits won both of the games in which they scored fewer points:?an 18-14 decision over Buena Vista (Iowa) during the inaugural 1966-67 season and a 19-6 victory over Huron during the 1967-68 campaign.
Against Kansas State on Dec. 10, the Jackrabbits could muster a shooting percentage of only 21.6 percent - their worst shooting performance in the Division I era. SDSU missed its first 16 shots from the field and finished the first half 2-of-25 from the floor.
RECEIVING VOTES: South Dakota State received votes in two different national
preseason polls. The Jackrabbits received three votes in the Nov. 15 ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll, and tallied 27 points in the Women's Mid-Major Top 25 poll conducted by collegeinsider.com.
The Jackrabbits continue to receive votes in the most recent mid-major poll, which is sprinkled with SDSU opponents. In the Dec. 27 poll, Middle Tennessee State checked in at No. 17, Summit League favorite Oral Roberts was ranked 18th and Marist (N.Y) held the 22nd spot. Also receiving votes was Summit League opponent South Dakota.
799 AND?COUNTING: SDSU's 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 799-364 (.687 winning percentage).
In addition, SDSU has posted 25 consecutive winning seasons between competing at the NCAA Division II and Divsion I levels.The Jackrabbits' last losing season was an 11-16 campaign during the 1985-86 season.
NEARING 150 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 seven-plus seasons competing at the Division I level, SDSU has compiled a 149-63 mark (.703 winning percentage) versus D-I opposition. The Jackrabbits have posted victories over 54 different Division I teams representing 20 conferences plus
independents.
TOUGH AT HOME: The Jackrabbit women's basketball team has gained a decisive home-court advantage at Frost Arena over the past decade.
In his tenure as Jackrabbit head coach, Johnston has led the Jackrabbits to a 140-22 record (.864 winning percentage) at Frost Arena, including an 85-13 mark (.867 winning pct.) at home during the Division I era. The Jackrabbits have put together winning streaks of 15, 15 and 22 in the process. SDSU's current home winning streak is seven games.
Since the start of the 2001-02 season, SDSU has a 129-17 home record (.883 winning percentage), losing an average of about two games 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 early in the 2009-10 campaign snapped a 35-game
regular season home winning streak, as well as a 15-game overall winning streak that began after SDSU lost to Creighton (Neb.) in the first round of the 2008 Women's NIT.
SDSU's loss to Oral Roberts on Jan. 4, 2010, marked its first home loss to a Summit League opponent.
BATTLE OF THE BOARDS: The Jackrabbits enter the week as the top rebounding team in The Summit League, out-rebounding their opponents by nearly six boards per game.
The Jackrabbits had their streak of holding a rebounding advantage end at seven games in the Dec. 21 loss at Nebraska. Overall, the Jackrabbits have out-rebounded their opponents in 10 of their 13 games this season, posting a 7-3 record when winning the battle of the boards.
The Jackrabbits have held a double-digit rebounding advantage five times this season, including each of their first two Summit League games. SDSU put together a dominating 46-22 advantage against Western Illinois on Nov. 30 and held a 41-29 edge versus IUPUI in their Dec. 2 matchup.
BENCH POINTS: South Dakota State reserves have played a key role in the Jackrabbits starting the season with a 7-6 record. A relatively young and inexperienced Jackrabbit bench has outscored the opponent's reserves in eight games this season, including each of the last five. Overall, the Jackrabbits have outscored opposing reserves by 32 points, 209-168, thus far during the 2011-12 season.
Junior forward Leah Dietel and freshman wing Rachel Walters have been the top scorer off the bench four times each this season for the Jackrabbits.
SUMMIT LEAGUE SUCCESS: South Dakota State has built an impressive Summit League résumé during its tenure in the 10-team conference.
Since joining the league at the start of the 2007-08 season, the Jackrabbits have compiled a 61-13 record (.824 winning percentage) in Summit League regular season games en route to outright league titles with records of 16-2 in 2007-08 and 17-1 during the 2008-09 season. In addition, SDSU has gone 31-5 at home against league foes and has won at least one game on every other Summit League member's home court.
YOUNG REACHES 1,000: Senior guard Jill Young became the 30th member of the Jackrabbit Women's Basketball 1,000-Point Club when she sank a first-half three-pointer during South Dakota State's win over Washington State on Nov. 20.
Young enters Thursday's game against Oakland in 28th place on the Jackrabbit career scoring chart with 1,088 points, after passing former Ketty Cornemann (1,042 points from 2007-10) in the Dec. 6 game at Arkansas-Little Rock. Next on the list is Dawn Hull, who scored 1,125 points from 1993-96.
Young has been a top-notch long range shooter throughout her collegiate career and enters the week with 249 three-pointers - one away from tying Brenda Davis (250 from 2001-04) and Kristin Rotert (250 from 2008-11) for the SDSU career mark.
She also ranks sixth in Summit League history for three-pointers made after canning 27 treys through the first 13 games of the season. Young tied a career high with seven three-pointers in the Nov. 11 season opener against St. Cloud State and added three triples two days later in a home victory over Utah State.
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.
For her career, Young is shooting 40.7 percent from three-point range, 249-of-612, including a team-best 78-of-188 - 41.4 percent - last season to rank 21st nationally for three-point percentage.
Young also has been an 82 percent (180-of-230) career shooter from the free throw line. She has shot well above her career average this season, making 91.9 percent (34-of-37) of her attempts.
SUNNY SIDE UP: Senior forward Jennie Sunnarborg has led the Jackrabbits in scoring throughout much of the 2011-12 season. A native of Osseo, Minn., Sunnarborg leads the team in scoring at 11.5 points per game. She also is shooting 81.3 percent (39-of-48) from the free throw line and contributing a team-best 5.8 rebounds per game.
In her best outing of the season, Sunnarborg recorded a season-high 23 points and added five rebounds, three assists and a blocked shot in an SDSU victory at IUPUI on Dec. 2. Sunnarborg also compiled a 22-point, four-rebound performance against Washington State on Nov. 20, in which she made the go-ahead basket with 1:05 remaining in the game. She also was 12-for-14 at the free throw line in the Jackrabbit victory.
Sunnarborg broke out of a four-game slump with a 20-point, seven-rebound performance against nationally ranked Nebraska on Dec. 21. It marked the third time this season and 12th time in her career she reached the 20-point mark in a game.
On the career charts, Sunnarborg ranks seventh in blocked shots at South Dakota State with 102. She also is on pace to reach the 1,000-point mark, entering Thursday's game with 907 career points.
EIDE ON THE MARK: Junior guard Ashley Eide has put together a strong season for the Jackrabbit women's basketball team, ranking second on the squad in scoring (10.5 points per game) rebounding (4.8 rpg) and assists (2.0 apg).
Eide was named Summit League Player of the Week following her 21-point, five-rebound performance at nationally ranked Nebraska on Dec. 21. She was 9-of-14 from the field, including 3-for-3 from three-point range as she reached the 20-point mark for the second time this season. Eide added two assists and two steals in 30 minutes of action.
The Sioux Falls native was impressive in the season opening weekend, tying a career high with six assists in the season-opening win over St. Cloud State on Nov. 11, then pouring in a career-high 27 points with eight rebounds in the Jackrabbits' victory over Utah State. Eide did not miss a two-point shot in the two games, going a combined 11-for-11. She also was 3-of-8 on three-point attempts to finish the weekend 14-of-19 (73.7 percent) overall from the field.
Eide continued her strong play by averaging 11 points and 3.5 rebounds during the opening week of Summit League play. She scored nine points at Western Illinois on Nov. 30, then went 5-of-7 from the field en route to 13 points in the Dec. 2 victory at IUPUI.
Starting with the two Summit League contests, Eide is averaging 12.1 points and four rebounds over the last seven contests.
PALUCH AT THE POINT: Junior Steph Paluch has handled the bulk of the point guard duties for the Jackrabbits through the first half of the 2011-12 season.
A Pierre native, Paluch leads the team with 29 assists (2.2 apg), including recording a career-high eight assists in SDSU's 63-58 win over Washington State on Nov. 20. Paluch also has contributed averages of 6.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Her five steals Dec. 2 at IUPUI established a new career high and are the most by a Jackrabbit player this season.
Paluch scored a season-high 13 points in SDSU's victory over Utah State on Nov. 13, making all six free throw attempts.
COACH AARON JOHNSTON: Now in his 12th full 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 enters Thursday's game against Oakland with a career record of 273-96 (.740 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, against Centenary (La.) and No. 250 on Nov. 24, 2010, versus Illinois State. His career totals have included a 61-13 record (.824 winning percentage) in Summit League regular season games and a 16-7 mark (.696 winning percentage) in postseason games. He is 7-3 against Oakland.
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 USA Today/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 and The New York Times.
A native of Pine Island, Minn., "A.J." earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn. After serving one year as an assistant coach at North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, he moved on to SDSU as a graduate assistant for the Jackrabbit men's basketball team for two seasons before becoming assistant women's coach. He also coached the SDSU golf teams one year.
ACADEMIC SUCCESS: The South Dakota State women's basketball team continued to make the grade during the 2010-11 season.
For the fourth time in its six-year history at the Division I level, the Jackrabbits posted the highest grade-point average in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Academic Top 25 Honor Roll, topping the chart with a 3.666 team GPA. Overall, SDSU ranked second across all divisions of women's college basketball.
THE ROSTER: The 2011-12 SDSU women's basketball roster features 13 players from two different states. Of the 13 players, seven are from Minnesota and six are from South Dakota. By class, two are seniors, four are juniors, three are sophomores, one is a redshirt freshman and three are incoming freshmen.
A LOOK AHEAD: The Jackrabbits complete their homestand New Year's Eve with a 2 p.m. contest against IPFW.
SDSU will be on the road next week for a pair of Summit League contests: Jan. 7 at Oral Roberts and Jan. 9 at Southern Utah. The matchup with ORU?is slated for a 2:05 p.m. start at the Mabee Center in Tulsa, Okla.
Women's Basketball Postgame Press Conference vs UConn (03.24.2025)
Tuesday, March 25
Women's Basketball Highlights vs UConn (03.24.2025)
Tuesday, March 25
Women's Basketball Pregame Press Conference (03.23.2025)
Sunday, March 23
Women's Basketball Postgame Press Conference vs Oklahoma State (03.22.2025)
Saturday, March 22