Women's basketball welcomes Central Michigan

Game 12 | South Dakota State (7-4) vs. Central Michigan (4-3)

When	Saturday, Dec. 14 \| 2 p.m.
Where	Frost Arena \| Brookings, S.D.
Live Audio / Radio	Jackrabbits All-Access \| Jackrabbit Sports Network I WNAX 570 AM \| Brad Peterson
Live Video	Midco Sports Network \| ESPN+ \| Jackrabbits All-Access \| Tom Nieman, Brad Newitt, Elaina Lanson
Live Stats	GoJacksLive.com
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| Central Michigan
Social Media	Twitter I Facebook

South Dakota State women's basketball remains home on Saturday as its hosts Central Michigan. Tipoff at Frost Arena is set for 2 p.m.

The Jackrabbits (7-4), under the direction of head coach Aaron Johnston, continue their three-game homestand after defeating Chattanooga, 71-56, on Wednesday night.

Central Michigan is 4-3 on the season and currently holds a four game win streak, most recently defeating Iona at home, 70-50.

The all-time series between SDSU and CMU is tied at 1-1. Last season, the Jackrabbits topped the Chippewas, 80-71, in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

About South Dakota State
Myah Selland is averaging a team-best 13.8 points and 3.0 assists per game. She is shooting 55.8 percent (48-of-86) from the field. Selland turned in season-bests of seven assists in the Jacks' win over Notre Dame and 20 points against FGCU. An All-Summit League Preseason First Team honoree, the junior averaged 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while ranking second on the team in assists (108) and blocked shots (18) last season.

Paiton Burckhard is averaging 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. The sophomore scored a career-best 23 points to lead the Jacks to a win over Dakota Wesleyan and has reach double-figures in seven contests. She holds a team-best 56.2 field goal percentage. Burckhard tied her career best of nine rebound against both South Florida and Florida Gulf Coast. The sophomore was named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team a season ago.

Tagyn Larson is averaging 8.8 points and a team-leading 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. She adds 6 steals and 5 blocks. In the win over Chattanooga, Larson turned in a season-best 15 points and pulled down six boards. A 2018-19 All-Summit League Second Team and Summit League Championship All-Tournament Team selection, Larson was named to the All-Summit League Preseason First Team. She led the team last season in rebounding (6.4 rpg) and blocked shots (43). The senior averaged 10.5 points per game.

Averaging 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game is Tylee Irwin. The junior scored 11 points in the win over Coppin State and 10 points at No. 3 Oregon. Against then-No. 21/20-ranked South Florida, the junior pulled down a career-best eight rebounds. Last season Irwin ranked third on the squad with 15 blocked shots and was fourth in steals (33), rebounding (3.7 rpg), and 3-pointers (22). She was named to the All-Summit League Preseason Second team.

Rylie Cascio Jensen has started all 11 games for the Jacks as she averages 5.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. Cascio Jensen recorded a career-best seven boards in the season opener. She ranked third on the team with 105 assists and fifth on the squad with 20 3-pointers last year, averaging 19.2 minutes per game off the bench.

Rounding out the senior class is Megan Bultsma who has appeared in five games, averaging 2.7 rebounds and 2.1 points per game.

Lindsey Theuninck is averaging 22.4 minutes and 4.8 points per game off the bench. In the win over Chattanooga, the sophomore scored a career-best 13 points in her first-ever start as a Jackrabbit. She averaged 12.1 minutes and 2.6 points a game for the Jacks last season.

The trio of Sydney Stapleton, Addison Hirschman and Jordan Ferrand round out the sophomore class. Stapleton appeared in 23 games, while Hirschman and Ferrand each saw playing time in 17 games.

Stapleton is averaging 16.2 minutes and 6.1 points per game. The sophomore turned in a career performance against Coppin State, shooting 5-of-10 from the 3-point line and totaling 17 points.

Completing Jackrabbit roster is a trio of new faces to South Dakota State and a redshirt freshman.

The duo of Kallie Theisen and Tori Nelson have been routinely playing for South Dakota State. Nelson is averaging 21.9 minutes per game and Theisen is averaging 15.2. Nelson posted the squads first double-double of the season in the win over Notre Dame. She also scored a career-best 23 points against Coppin State, while Theisen led the team with a career-best 12 rebounds.

Lauren Rongisch readshirted last year and will make her collegiate debut in the 2019-20 season. She was a three-time All-State honorable mention selection, a second-team All-Metro pick in 2016 and honorable mention in 2015 and 2017 at Millard West High School. Rongisch finished her high school career with 595 points, averaging 2.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 32 percent from beyond the arc and 77 percent from the free-throw line.

Regan Nesheim helped lead Johnston High School to three consecutive state tournament appearances. She earned second-team all-state recognition as a senior after averaging 13.1 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocked shots per game.

SDSU is shooting 43.9 percent from the field, while averaging 38.4 rebounds per game. The Jackrabbit defense holds their opponents to 58.5 points and a 39.1 FG percentage.

Scouting Central Michigan
Micaela Kelly leads the way for the Chippewas as she averages 20.4 points per game. She has reached double figures in all seven contests, including turning in 29 points against Dayton.

Kyra Bussell leads the defensive efforts with 6.7 rebounds per game and is shooting 52.3 percent from the field. Molly Davis averages 40.6 points and 3.9 assists per game.

The Chippewas are narrowly outscoring its opponents 76.1-75.3. The squad averages 14.1 assists, 5.6 steals and 2.7 blocks per game.

Central Michigan ranks No. 14 in the Mid-Major Poll, while the Jackrabbits are ranked No. 12.

Heather Oesterle is in her first season at the helm of Central Michigan, but has served for nine seasons on the Chippewa coaching staff.

Last Time Out
South Dakota State women's basketball topped Chattanooga, 71-56, on Wednesday night at Frost Arena to advance to 7-4 on the season.

Four Jackrabbits reached double figures, led by Tagyn Larson with a season-high 15 points, going 6-of-7 from the field including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. Larson also lead the team defensively with six rebounds while dishing a career-best eight assists.

Lindsey Theuninck turned in a career-high 13 points in her first ever start as a Jackrabbit. Paiton Burckhard recorded 11 points and 5 boards, while Sydney Stapleton added 10 points. Additionally, Rylie Cascio Jensen posted five assists.

The Jackrabbits shot 48.4 percent (29-of-60) from the field and 42.1 percent from long distance. The Mocs, led by Eboni Williams (11 points), went 41.7 percent (10-of-24) from beyond the arc.

A pair of Theuninck 3-pointers and one from Irwin helped the Jacks take a 14-6 lead to open the game. However, a 9-2 run by Chattanooga cut SDSU's advantage to just one point (16-15) at the end of the opening frame. The teams traded punches throughout the second quarter, but the Jacks held onto a 31-27 lead at halftime.

State held just a 40-36 advantage midway through the third when a 13-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Stapleton, gave the Jacks a 15-point lead. SDSU outscored the Mocs 22-11 in the third quarter.

Play was even in the final quarter with each team scoring 18 points, but Chattanooga never came closer than 11 the rest of the way. A 3-pointer by Larson with 24 seconds to play gave the Jacks their largest lead of 18 points.

A Win Would...

Give South Dakota State a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series
Improve the Jackrabbits to 8-4 on the season
Give the Jackrabbits its second-straight victory over the Chippewas

A Loss Would...

Give Central Michigan its second win over the Jackrabbits

Home Sweet Frost
The Jackrabbits hold a 13-game win streak at Frost Arena which began on Dec. 14, 2018 as State claimed a 97-49 victory over Savannah State. In those contests, SDSU has outscored its opponents 1,055-696.

The last time the Jacks suffered a loss to a Summit League opponent at Frost was Jan. 25, 2018 against South Dakota (61-67). Additionally, the last time SDSU lost at home was against No. 7 Oregon, (Dec. 8, 2018).

1,000 Program Wins
The Jackrabbits recently reached the milestone of 1,000 program wins as it defeated Notre Dame, 65-59, at the Cancun Challenge. The Jacks became the 14th NCAA Division I women's team to reach the mark. Head Coach Aaron Johnston is responsible for 474 of South Dakota State's 1,000 wins.

Tough Slate
The Jackrabbits faces two Power Five (ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, PAC-12) opponents during the 2019-20 season, including Oregon and Notre Dame.

Oregon, who SDSU fell to in the Sweet Sixteen, made it to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament where it fell to the 2019 National Champions, Baylor, 72-67. Oregon is ranked No. 3 in both the AP and Coaches polls

Notre Dame came up short in the National Championship game to Baylor, 82-81. The Jackrabbits defeated Notre Dame, 65-59, at the Cancun Challenge on Nov. 29.

South Florida was ranked No. 21/20 when the Jackrabbits earned at 61-50 victory over the Bulls.

South Dakota recently entered the rankings as it ranks No. 21 in the Coaches poll and is receiving votes in the AP poll.

Florida Gulf Coast, Drake and Creighton are all receiving votes.

Preseason Recognition
Tagyn Larson and Myah Selland were named to the All-Summit League Preseason First Team, while Tylee Irwin earned All-Summit League Preseason Second Team accolades.

Jacks Tabbed Second in Preseason Poll
The Jackrabbits claimed a total of 496 points and 13 first place votes in the preseason poll. South Dakota was voted the favorite with 20 first place votes and 527 points, while Denver rounded out the top three with 394 points and a lone first place vote.

Summit League Titles

South Dakota State won its Summit League-leading sixth regular-season title in the program's 12 years in the league with a 15-1 record.
The Jackrabbits last won the regular-season title in 2013-14, finishing the league schedule 13-1.
SDSU also claimed titles in 2007-08, 2008-09, 2011-12 and 2012-13.
State has claimed nine Summit League tournament titles in the past 11 years.

Against Ranked Opponents

South Dakota State is 10-28 vs. ranked foes since 2006-07. It is 6-5 in Frost Arena, 3-14 on the road and 1-9 at neutral sites.
The Jackrabbits' 75-67 win over 12th-ranked Syracuse ties for the highest ranked team they have beaten in program history.
Syracuse was also the highest team South Dakota State has defeated on the road.
SDSU faced its highest-ranked opponent Jan. 2, 2014, when it played then-No. 2 Notre Dame (L, 94-51) in South Bend.
Most recently, South Dakota State defeated No. 21/20-ranked USF, 61-50, and fell to No. 3 Oregon (95-56).

Postseason Awards

Three returning Jackrabbits earned Summit League postseason awards.
Tagyn Larson picked up second-team accolades and Myah Selland was on the honorable mention team.
Rookie Paiton Burckhard was named to The Summit League All-Newcomer Team.
At The Summit League Championship, Larson was named to the all-tournament team.

-GoJacks.com-

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Players Mentioned

Megan Bultsma

Paiton Burckhard

Rylie Cascio Jensen

Jordan Ferrand

Addison Hirschman

Tylee Irwin

Tagyn Larson

Tori Nelson

Regan Nesheim

Lauren Rongisch

Myah Selland

Sydney Stapleton

Kallie Theisen

Lindsey Theuninck

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