Women return home to face North Dakota

Game 20 | South Dakota State (13-6, 5-0) vs. North Dakota (12-5, 3-1)

When	Thursday, Jan. 16 \| 7 p.m.
Where	Frost Arena \| Brookings, S.D.
Live Audio / Radio	Jackrabbits All-Access \| Jackrabbit Sports Network I WNAX 570 AM \| Scotty Kwas
Live Video	Midco Sports Network \| ESPN+ \| GoJacks.com/Watch
Live Stats	GoJacksLive.com
Tickets	Purchase Tickets
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| North Dakota
Social Media	Twitter I Facebook

South Dakota State women's basketball returns home on Thursday to take on North Dakota. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Frost Arena.

The Jackrabbits (13-6, 5-0 Summit League), under the direction of head coach Aaron Johnston, return home after a pair of road victories. State defeated Denver (86-79) and Purdue Fort Wayne (100-69) last week. SDSU remains undefeated in Summit League play and is on the strength of a six-game win streak.

North Dakota is 12-5 overall and 3-1 in Summit League action. The Fighting Hawks had earned three consecutive conference victories before falling to Oral Roberts 75-52 last week.

North Dakota holds a 41-25 advantage in the all-time series over the Jackrabbits. The Jackrabbits have claimed the last 5 contests against the Fighting Hawks, most recently by a score of 81-58 at Frost Arena last season.

About South Dakota State
Paiton Burckhard is averaging a team-best 14.4 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. The sophomore scored a career-best 24 points to lead the Jacks to a win over Denver and has reach double-figures in 14 contests, including 20-plus points in four games. She leads SDSU and ranks second in the Summit League with a 56.8 field goal percentage on a team-high 259 total points. So far in Summit League play she has scored 92 points (18.4 ppg) and pulled down 42 rebounds. Burckhard registered her first-ever double-double in the win over Western Illinois with 10 points and a career-best 11 rebounds. The sophomore was named to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team a season ago.

Myah Selland is averaging 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.

Tagyn Larson is averaging 11.1 points after reaching double figures in eight games, including a season-best 22 points against Marquette. She averages 5.5 rebounds per game, while adding 10 steals and 18 blocks. The senior also dished a career-best nine assists in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne and is averaging 3.4 assists per game. Larson is shooting 54.3 percent from the field and a Summit League-best 48.5 percent from beyond the arc. 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.

Rylie Cascio Jensen has started all 19 games for the Jacks as she averages 10 points, 3 rebounds and a team-best 4 assists per game. Cascio Jensen recorded a career-best seven boards in the season opener. In the Summit League opener against Omaha, the senior turned in a career-best 14 points as she went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. She dished a season-high seven assists against Denver. Cascio Jensen 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.

Averaging 6.5 points and 4.7 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. She blocked a career-best three shots against Omaha and Western Illinois. 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.

Senior Megan Bultsma has appeared in 14 games, averaging 6.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. In the win over Denver, the senior more than doubled her career-best (10 points) as she turned in a team-leading 24 points. Bultsma was the first player since 2015 to score 20-plus points coming off the bench. She has a total of 69 points and is shooting 62.2 percent from the field in Summit League play. She has scored 10-plus points in the last four contests.

Lindsey Theuninck is averaging 24.6 minutes and 5.1 points per game. In the win over Chattanooga, the sophomore scored a career-high 13 points in her first-ever start as a Jackrabbit. She has now started in nine contests. Against Denver she made a career-best three 3-pointers. She averaged 12.1 minutes and 2.6 points a game for the Jacks last season.

Sydney Stapleton is averaging 17.4 minutes and 6.4 points per game off the bench. The sophomore turned in a career performance against Coppin State, shooting 5-of-10 from the 3-point line and totaling 17 points. She leads the Jacks from beyond the arc with a total of 28 3-pointers.

Sophomore Addison Hirschman and redshirt freshman Lauren Rongisch have each appeared in seven games for SDSU, while Jordan Ferrand has played in eight.

Completing the Jackrabbit roster is a trio of new faces to South Dakota State.

The duo of Kallie Theisen and Tori Nelson have been routinely playing for South Dakota State. Nelson is averaging 22.4 minutes per game and Theisen is averaging 15.9. 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 in the contest.

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. Nesheim will be redshirting this season.

SDSU is shooting 45.2 percent from the field, while averaging 37.8 rebounds per game. The Jackrabbit defense holds their opponents to a Summit League-best 59.5 points and a 37.6 FG percentage. State averages 17 assists per game and holds an assist/turnover ratio of 1.2.

Scouting North Dakota
North Dakota is led offensively by Julia Fleecs who is averaging 10.6 points per game. Jaclyn Jarnot and Lilly Keplin are averaging 8.9 and 8.3 points per game, respectively.

Jarnot paces the defensive efforts with 6.9 rebounds per game. Alaina Jarnot ranks second in the Summit League with 4.5 assists per game.

Melissa Leet has a total of 43 block and leads the Summit League with 2.9 blocks per game.

North Dakota averages 72.6 points per game while its opponents score 64.4. The Fighting Hawks are outrebounding their opposition, 42.9-37.4. UND is shooting 40.3 from the field and 32.8 from long distance.

Travis Brewster is in his eighth season at the helm of North Dakota with a record of 125-110.

Jackrabbits' Last Time Out
FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- South Dakota State women's basketball cruised to a 100-69 Summit League victory over Purdue Fort Wayne on Sunday at Gates Sports Center.

The Jackrabbits improved to 13-6 on the season and 5-0 in Summit League action, while the Mastodons fell to 4-13, 0-4 Summit League.

Five Jacks reached double figures led by Paiton Burckhard with 20 points and seven boards. Tori Nelson and Megan Bultsma each recorded 16 points, while Sydney Stapleton added 12. Rylie Cascio Jensen turned in 10 points and added four assists.

Tagyn Larson dished a team-high and career-best nine assists, while adding eight points and five boards.

SDSU shot an impressive 59.4 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from beyond the arc compared to the 'Dons with a 40.7 field goal percentage. The Jacks also held a 44-19 advantage on the boards.

Burckhard turned in a pair of baskets to give the Jackrabbits an early 4-0 lead. The Mastodons hit a 3-pointer to come within one, but State made a 21-9 run in the remainder of the quarter to take a commanding advantage. Each team put up 15 points in the second, but SDSU held onto a 40-27 lead at halftime.

A 3-pointer midway through the third by Stapleton put the Jacks ahead by 22 points, before a Bultsma turnaround jumper followed by a pair of free throws by Tylee Irwin lifted State to a 73-46 lead headed into the final frame.

Although the Mastodons started the final quarter with nine unanswered points, the deficit was too great to overcome as a final bucket by Bultsma sealed a 100-69 victory for the Jackrabbits.

A Win Would...

Improve South Dakota State to 26-41 in the all-time series
Advance the Jackrabbits to 14-6 on the season and 6-0 in the Summit League
Give the Jackrabbits its sixth straight win over the Fighting Hawks

A Loss Would...

Improve North Dakota to 42-25 all-tim against South Dakota State

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.

A Decade of Success
As a new decade begins, the women's basketball program has a great amount of accomplishments to look back on.

247 program wins
.729 winning percentage
133 Summit League wins
30 All-Summit League Honorees
14 Individual Summit League Awards
9 wins over ranked opponents
8 Summit League Championships

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. 6 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 ranks No. 25 in the AP poll and 21 in the Coaches polls

Florida Gulf Coast is receiving votes in the Coaches poll.

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 and fell to No. 3 Oregon (95-56).

-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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