GAME 31: No. 2 seed South Dakota State [24-6] vs. No. 3 seed Western Illinois [22-8] |
After winning its quarterfinal game Sunday, the No. 2 South Dakota State women's basketball team (24-6) takes on No. 3 seed Western Illinois (22-8) Monday at 2:30. p.m. in the semifinals of The Summit League Championship at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls.
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If the Jackrabbits win Monday, they will play for their eighth Summit League tournament title in 10 years.
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SDSU advanced to the semifinals with an 87-62 win over No. 7 seed North Dakota State March 3. Summit League Player of the Year
Macy Miller led five Jacks in double figures with 19 points.
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All of South Dakota State's Summit League Championship games will air on The Jackrabbits Sports Network with Scotty Kwas and Brad Peterson calling the action. The semifinal game can be seen live on the Midco Sports Network and ESPN3. The championship game will air on ESPNU and WatchESPN.
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Summit League Championship
- South Dakota State is the No. 2 seed for the third time (2015, 2016) in the Summit League Championships. It sports a 23-2 (92.0) championship record, the best winning percentage among current league members.
- It has won at least one tournament game in nine of 10 Summit League Championships it has been eligible for. The Jackrabbits have won seven tournament titles (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016), the most in league history.
- SDSU has played in seven of nine title games and has won titles as the top seed (2009, 2012, 2013), second seed (2015, 2016) and third seed (2010, 2011).
- The Jackrabbits are 3-0 against No. 3 seeds and 7-2 in semifinal games.
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History in Sioux Falls
- The Summit League Championship is held at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls for the fourth time. The championship was held in the Sioux Falls Arena for the first six years, starting in 2009. The Jackrabbits were 15-1 in that arena.
- Two of the SDSU's Summit League Tournament titles were won in the PREMIER Center. It won the 2015 and 2016 titles as the No. 2 seed, defeating top-seeded South Dakota, 72-57, in 2015, and 61-55 in 2016.
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Five Top Storylines
- Western Illinois: The Jacks have won the last two games and 21 of the last 22 overall meetings against Western Illinois, and holds a 21-2 all-time series advantage. State, which has nine regular-season sweeps of the Leathernecks in the last 10 years, swept WIU this season, 84-48, Jan. 20 in Frost and 70-42 Feb. 17, in Macomb. South Dakota State is 1-0 against Western Illinois in league postseason play (won 67-39, 2010 Summit League semifinals).
- Defense: Defense has been a key element in the Jackrabbits' success, as the team is 14-2 when holding an opponent to 70 points or less. State has limited 19 of its 30 opponents to 65 or fewer points, including six to less than 50. South Dakota State has held 22 of its 30 opponents to a lower scoring output than they averaged coming into the game. Fourteen of 30 opponents were limited to single-digit scoring quarters, including six quarters against league teams.
- Offense: SDSU head coach Aaron Johnston thinks this year's team is his most offensive-minded squad. The Jackrabbits are second in overall games (78.7). In the last five games, the Jackrabbits are averaging 81.0 points per game and giving up just 62.2 an outing. SDSU ranks 23rd in scoring offense and 16th in scoring margin (16.4) in the NCAA.
- 3-Point Shooting: State is one of the top teams in The Summit League in 3-point shooting, sinking 8.9 treys per game while shooting 36.6 percent. It ranks in the NCAA:
           - 18th in 3-point field goals made (267);
           - 17th in 3-point field goals per game (8.9);
           - 29th in 3-point field goals attempted (730); and
           - 34th in 3-point field goal percentage (36.6).
            Leading the way are guards
Madison Guebert and
Macy Miller. The duo is shooting a combined 41.0 percent (131-319) this season.
            Guebert, who ranks fifth in career 3-pointers in the league and second at SDSU, is third in 3-pointers per game (2.6) in The Summit
            League and Miller is second in percentage (46.1).
- Balanced Scoring: The Jackrabbits are known for balance, playing an average of nine players per game. At least three Jackrabbits have scored in double digits in 21 of 30 games. They have had five or more scoring in double figures in six games and six or more twice. Four of the five starters have led State in scoring, including a team-best 21 times by Macy Miller. All five starters are shooting 40 percent or higher, led by Miller's 50.1 shooting percentage.
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Noteworthy
- Madison Guebert ranks sixth in free-throw percentage (92.0) in the NCAA statistics.
- The four top Summit League scorers—Macy Miller (18.2), Emily Clemens (18.1), Taylor Higginbotham (16.6) and Madison Guebert (15.0)—are expected to play Monday.
- In the last five games, three Jacks are averaging double figures, led by Macy Miller's 17.6 ppg.
- Miller has scored 20 or more points 13 times.
- Already The Summit League's all-time wins leader, head coach Aaron Johnston enters Monday's contest a game shy of fourth in overall Summit League games coached.
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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
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Madison Guebert, guard
           -
Macy Miller, guard
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Tagyn Larson, forward
           -
Ellie Thompson, forward
- The starting lineup is 11-2 overall this season.
- Summit League Player of the Year Macy Miller is currently SDSU's and The Summit League's leading scorer (18.2). Madison Guebert averages 15.0 points per game.
- SDSU averages 78.7 points per game and limits foes to 62.4 points per outing.
- On the boards, Tagyn Larson is SDSU's leading rebounder, grabbing 5.8 caroms an outing. The Jackrabbits are outrebounding opponents by 7.2.
- The Jackrabbits' top 3-point threat is Guebert, who is sinking 2.6 treys per game.
- Miller is the Jacks' top playmaker, dishing 3.2 assists per game.
- The Jacks have a plus-1.3 assist to turnover ratio and 1.6 turnover margin.
- SDSU is shooting 45.4 percent from the field, 36.6 percent from 3-point range and 78.5 percent from the free-throw line.
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Previewing Western Illinois
- The defending Summit League Tournament champions reached the semifinals with a 97-57 win over Omaha Sunday. The Fighting Leathernecks have won seven of their last 10 games, dropping two contests to South Dakota State and one to South Dakota.
- WIU is led offensively by senior Emily Clemens. The point guard averages 18.7 points per game. She ranks first in scoring in The Summit League.
- Taylor Higginbotham and Morgan Blumer are also averaging double digits, scoring 16.8 and 14.3 points per game, respectively.
- The Fighting Leathernecks are averaging a league-leading 82.7 points per game overall. They are giving up 66.2 points per game.
- Higginbotham averages a team-leading 7.2 rebounds. The Fighting Leathernecks are being outrebounded by 4.2 caroms a game.
- Clemens leads The Summit League and ranks fifth in the NCAA by dishing 7.7 assists per game. She also ranks 10th with 3.4 steals per game.
- Olivia Braun tops The Summit League with 68 blocks (2.3) on the season. She ranks 35th in the NCAA in blocks per game.
- Higginbotham is Western Illinois' top 3-point threat, shooting 38.1 percent (67-176). Blumer is sinking a team-leading 2.6 treys a contest.
- The Fighting Leathernecks are shooting 43.5 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from 3-point range and 75.8 percent from the free-throw line.
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This Year vs. the Fighting Leathernecks
- South Dakota State swept the season series with Western Illinois, winning 84-48 Jan. 16 in Brookings and 70-42 Feb. 17 in Macomb.
- The Jackrabbits outscored the Leathernecks by an average of 32 points and limited them to 20.0 percent shooting (26-130) from the field and 19.2 percent (14-73) from long range. SDSU shot 43.3 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from long range and 71.4 percent from the foul line.
- State outrebounded WIU by an average of 29.5 in the two games and combined for 31 assists on 55 field goals.
- Macy Miller averaged 23.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals in the two outings. She shot 50 percent (16-32) from the field, 50.0 percent (5-10) from 3-point range and 90.9 percent (10-11) from the free-throw line.
- Madison Guebert chipped in 15 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists and sank seven 3-pointers.
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Western Illinois Series
- Monday's game will be the 24th meeting between SDSU and Western Illinois. The Jacks lead the series 21-2 and have won 21 of the last 22 games.
- The Jackrabbits have swept the regular-season series nine times.
- There has been one 100-point game in the series. The Jackrabbits won 101-61, Feb. 27, 2012.
- In six games against Western Illinois, Macy Miller is averaging 17.0 points per game and 3.2 assists per game.
- Madison Guebert averages 17.3 points in six outings.
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For more information on the South Dakota State women's basketball team, follow the Jackrabbits on Twitter (
@GoJacksWBB) or likeÂ
South Dakota State women's basketball on Facebook.
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