Defending Home Court

GAME 20: South Dakota State [15-4, 4-0] vs. Western Illinois [14-5, 4-1]

When	Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 \| 2 p.m.
Where	Frost Arena \| Brookings, S.D.
Radio	Jackrabbit Sports Network I WNAX 570 AM I Jackrabbits All-Access I Scotty Kwas
Live Video	Jackrabbits All-Access
Live Audio	Jackrabbits All-Access
Live Stats	GoJacksLive.com
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| Western Illinois \| Summit League
Social Media	Twitter I #EarsUp

Two of the highest-scoring offenses and toughest defenses in The Summit League will battle to stay in the hunt for the league regular-season title when South Dakota State hosts Western Illinois Saturday at 2 p.m. in the friendly confines of Frost Arena.

The Jackrabbits are 15-4 overall and 4-0 in The Summit League and are just one of two teams (South Dakota) still undefeated in league play.

SDSU won its sixth consecutive home game Tuesday, defeating Dakota Wesleyan, 76-63. Summit League Player of the Year candidate Macy Miller scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field.

SDSU has won nine of the last 12 games against league members, dating to last season.

Western Illinois is 14-5 overall and 4-1 in league play. The Fighting Leathernecks defeated Fort Wayne for the second time this season with a 91-44 victory Thursday. Six WIU players scored in double figures led by Emily Clemens' and Taylor Higginbotham's 13 points each.

Saturday's game will be the 22nd meeting between the Jackrabbits and the Leathernecks. SDSU leads the series 19-2 and is 10-0 in Frost Arena.

Noteworthy

South Dakota State has a 15-game home winning streak against Summit League opponents. Its last home loss was Jan. 17, 2016, to South Dakota. The streak ranks 41st in the latest NCAA standings.
The Jacks' seven-game overall win streak versus league opponents, dates to a win at Fort Wayne Feb. 18, 2017.
After Tuesday's game, the Jackrabbits have now won five games in row, the longest since winning six consecutive games between Jan. 5 and Jan. 21, 2017.
n SDSU is 476-120 (.798) all-time in home games, including 78-7 (.917) in home Summit League games.
State has started 5-0 in Summit League twice—2012-13 and 2013-14. The best start to a league season was by the 2013-14 team, which won its first eight games.
SDSU head coach Aaron Johnston, who won his 425th game Dec. 20th, enters Saturday's game needing a win to become The Summit League's leader in overall victories (261) and league wins (144).
South Dakota State was ranked second in Graham Hays' Jan. 9 espnW mid-major poll. It was ranked No. 1 in the Nov. 15 poll and second in the Nov. 29 and Dec. 13 polls.
The Jackrabbits have won their last five games and eight of their last 10 contests.
State has held 12 of its 19 opponents to 65-or-fewer points, including three to less than 50.
There have been at least three Jackrabbits scoring in double digits in 12 of 19 games. In the last five games, two Jacks are averaging double figures, led by Macy Miller's 17.4 ppg.
Miller has scored 20-or-more points nine times. She averages 17.9 points per game.

Jackrabbits in Mid-Major Poll

South Dakota State was ranked third in the Jan. 16 CollegeInsider Mid-Major poll.
SDSU has been ranked in the Mid-Major Top 25 Poll 110 of the last 111 weeks.
The Jackrabbits, who were picked No. 1 in last year's preseason poll, finished 15th at the end of the 2016-17 season.

A Quick Glance at South Dakota State

Eighteenth-year head coach Aaron Johnston's probable starters for the Western Illinois game are:

            - Alexis Alexander, point guard
            - Madison Guebert, guard
            - Macy Miller, guard
            - Myah Selland, forward
            - Ellie Thompson, forward

The starting lineup is 13-4 overall this season.
Summit League Player of the Year candidate Macy Miller is currently The Summit League's and SDSU's leading scorer, averaging 17.9 points per game. Madison Guebert (15.2) is the other Jackrabbit averaging double digits in scoring.
SDSU averages 74.9 points per game and limits foes to 64.2 points per outing.
On the boards, Myah Selland is SDSU's leading rebounder, grabbing 5.5 caroms an outing. The Jackrabbits are outrebounding opponents by 3.8.
The Jackrabbits' top 3-point threat is Guebert, who is sinking 2.5 treys per game.
Miller is the Jacks' top playmaker, dishing 2.8 assists per game.
The Jacks have a plus-1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
SDSU is shooting 42.8 percent from the field, 35.0 percent from 3-point range and 78.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Glance at Western Illinois

Western Illinois is third in The Summit League standings after its win over Fort Wayne Thursday.
The Fighting Leathernecks are 14-5 overall and 4-1 in league play. They are 7-3 on the road this year and have won their last two games.
WIU is led offensively by senior Emily Clemens. The point guard averages 16.8 points per game. She ranks second overall and in the league (18.0) in scoring. The Fighting Leathernecks are averaging a league-leading 81.9 points per game overall and 79.0 ppg in league games. They are giving up 64.2 and 58.0 points per game, respectively.
Junior guard Taylor Higginbotham and senior guard Morgan Blumer are also averaging double digits, scoring 16.7 and 13.8 points per game, respectively.
Higginbotham averages a team-leading 7.6 rebounds. The Fighting Leathernecks are being outrebounded by 2.7 caroms a game.
Clemens leads The Summit League and ranks fourth in the NCAA by dishing 7.7 assists per game. She also seventh with 3.4 steals per game.
Senior forward Olivia Braun tops The Summit League with 44 blocks (2.3) on the season and averages 3.0 per game in league games. She ranks 24th in the NCAA in blocks per game.
Blumer is Western Illinois' top 3-point threat, sinking 47 3-pointers and shooting 37.0 percent overall.
WIU has seven players averaging five-or-more points and 10-or-more minutes per game.
The Fighting Leathernecks are shooting 43.8 percent from the field, 36.0 percent from 3-point range and 75.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Breaking Down the Western Illinois Series

Saturday's game will be the 22nd meeting between SDSU and Western Illinois. The Jacks lead the series 19-2 and have won 19 of the last 20 games after dropping the second game of last year's series, 83-77, Feb. 15, 2017, in Macomb, Ill.
The Jackrabbits have swept the regular-season series eight times, the last time was in 2016-17.
There has been one 100-point game in the series. The Jackrabbits won 101-61, Feb. 27, 2012.
In four games against Western Illinois, Madison Guebert averages 18.5 points and is shooting 47.2 percent from 3-point range. Also in four games, Macy Miller averages 13.8 points and is shooting 44.6 percent from the field. Ellie Thompson is scoring at an 11.7 clip, grabs 6.7 rebounds and blocks 1.2 shots in six outings versus the Leathernecks.

For more information on the South Dakota State women's basketball team, follow the Jackrabbits on Twitter (@GoJacksWBB) or like South Dakota State women's basketball on Facebook.

-GoJacks.com-

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Alexis Alexander

Madison Guebert

Macy Miller

Myah Selland

Ellie Thompson

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