Jacks close homestand with Marquette Tuesday

Game 13 | South Dakota State (7-5) vs. Marquette (7-2)

When	Tuesday, Dec. 17 \| 7 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 \| Marquette
Social Media	Twitter I Facebook

South Dakota State women's basketball concludes a three-game homestand on Tuesday as it welcomes Marquette to Frost Arena. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Jackrabbits (7-5), under the direction of head coach Aaron Johnston, most recently fell to Central Michigan, 79-74.

Marquette holds a three-game win streak, most recently defeating Milwaukee, 78-56. The team comes to Brookings after more than a week off of competition with its last game being played on Dec. 8.

SDSU holds a 4-3 advantage in the all-time series against Marquette. Last season, the Jackrabbits fell to the then-ranked No. 19/19 Golden Eagles in their season opener (91-52).

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 12.9 points and a team-leading 5.3 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 54.4 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 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. She adds 7 steals and 5 blocks. Larson has led the Jacks in back-to-back games, turning in a season-best 15 points in each contest. The senior also dished a career-best eight assists in the win over Chattanooga and now leads the team, averaging 3.4 assists per game. 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 7.3 points and 5.1 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 12 games for the Jacks as she averages 5.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 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 22.9 minutes and 5.4 points per game. 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 16.8 minutes and 6.7 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. 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 Marquette
The Golden Eagles have four players averaging double figures led by Selena Lott with 15.9 points per game. Lott also averages a team-best 5.4 assists per game.

Isabelle Spingola and Jordan King average 11.7 and 10.6 points per game, respectively. Lauren Van Kleunen also averages 10.6 points while adding 5.3 rebounds per game.

The Golden Eagles' bench provides depth as Altia Anderson leads the defensive efforts with 6.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

Marquette averages 68.9 points per game while holding its opponents to 58.2 points.
The Golden Eagles are shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Megan Duffy is in her first season at the helm of Marquette.

Jackrabbits' Last Time Out
South Dakota State women's basketball went down to the wire against Central Michigan but came up short, 79-74, on Saturday afternoon at Frost Arena.

The Jackrabbits fell to 7-5 on the season, while Central Michigan improved to 5-3.

For the second consecutive game, four Jackrabbits reached double figures led by Tagyn Larson, tying her season high of 15 points. Sydney Stapleton turned in 13 points, while Lindsey Theuninck and Kallie Theisen each scored 12.

The pair of Tylee Irwin and Paiton Burckhard led the defensive efforts for State with six rebounds apiece. Rylie Cascio Jensen dished out a team-high six assists, five of which came in the first quarter. Cascio Jensen added five rebounds, two steals and a block, while Irwin added a team-best three steals.

Central Michigan was led by Micaela Kelly as she went 12-of-18 from the field, including 7-of-8 from beyond the arc, for a total of 38 points. Molly Davis added 20 points and 7 assists for the Chippewas. As a team, CMU shot 50.9 percent from the field and 54.5 percent (12-of-22) from long distance.

SDSU outrebounded the Chippewas, 34-28, converting 14 offensive boards into 18 second-chance points in a contest that saw 13 lead changes and four ties.

South Dakota State held a 9-8 advantage four minutes into the game when a 10-2 run, which included six points from Theisen, extended the Jacks' lead to nine points. The Chippewas fought back to come within four of the Jackrabbits at the end of the first.

The second quarter alone saw seven lead changes and two ties as CMU outscored the Jacks 25-15 on the frame to lead 42-36 at halftime. Central Michigan's Micaela Kelly put up 25 first-half points.

The Jackrabbits gained momentum in the second half, going on a 17-5 run out of the locker room as back-to-back Stapleton 3-pointers gave State the lead at 53-51. The advantage wouldn't last as the Chippewas outscored the Jacks 5-2 in the final three minutes of the quarter to lead by two headed into the final 10 minutes of play.

The teams went back-and-forth in the fourth quarter as a 3-pointer by Theuninck gave the Jacks a 69-68 advantage with 2:23 to play. A trio of late turnovers set State back as Central Michigan was able to finish down the stretch.

A Win Would...

Give South Dakota State a 5-4 advantage in the all-time series
Improve the Jackrabbits to 8-5 on the season
Give the Jackrabbits its first victory over Marquette since Nov. 28, 2012

A Loss Would...

Give Marquette its fourth straight victory over SDSU

Jackrabbit Basketball Coaches Show
The Jackrabbit Basketball Coaches Show returns to Cubby's Sports Bar and Grill in downtown Brookings on Dec. 30. The hour-long show covering the 2019-20 basketball season tips off every Monday at 6 p.m. through March 2.

Hosted by Tyler Merriam, the weekly look at the South Dakota State basketball teams features interviews with head men's coach Eric Henderson and head women's coach Aaron Johnston, as well as segments with Jackrabbit student-athletes and members of the coaching staff.

Fans can attend in person and will be eligible for weekly drawings.

The show also airs live on flagship radio station WNAX 570 AM and Jackrabbit Sports Network affiliates, and can be heard live or on-demand for free via Jackrabbits All-Access and the Jackrabbit App.

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. 4 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. 25 in the Coaches poll and is receiving votes in the AP poll.

Florida Gulf Coast, Green Bay, Marquette, 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 votes.

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.

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

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Augustana (Exhibition) on October 29, 2025 at 6 p.m.

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Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus St. Thomas on March 1, 2025 , Win , 79, to, 46

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