Jackrabbits challenge Golden Eagles Saturday

Saturday, February 1

Tulsa, Okla.

2 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Oral Roberts

Photo by: Andrew Sogn/SDSU Sports Information

1/31/2020 1:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Game 24 | South Dakota State (16-7, 8-1) at Oral Roberts (9-12, 4-4)

When	Saturday, Feb. 1 \| 2 p.m.
Where	Mabee Center \| Tulsa, Okla.
Live Audio / Radio	Jackrabbits All-Access \| Jackrabbit Sports Network I WNAX 570 AM \| Brad Peterson
Live Video	ORU Sports Network
Live Stats	ORUAthletics.com
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| Oral Roberts
Social Media	Twitter I Facebook

South Dakota State women's basketball will conclude its two-game road stand as it travels to take on Oral Roberts Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m at the Mabee Center.

The Jackrabbits (16-7, 8-1 Summit League), under the direction of head coach Aaron Johnston, rank second in the Summit League standings through the first half of conference action. SDSU has won eight of its nine Summit League contests, most recently defeating Western Illinois 89-48.

Oral Roberts is 9-12 overall and 4-4 in Summit League action. The Golden Eagles came back to defeat Denver earlier this week, 84-72

SDSU holds a 20-6 advantage in the all-time series against Oral Roberts. The Jackrabbits have claimed the last 15 contests against the Golden Eagles, most recently earlier this month at Frost Arena by a score of 58-44.

About South Dakota State
Paiton Burckhard is averaging a team-best 15 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. The sophomore scored a career-best 27 points to lead the Jacks to a win over North Dakota and has reach double-figures in 18 contests, including 20-plus points in six games. She ranks third in the Summit League with a 54.8 field goal percentage on a team-high 330 total points. So far in Summit League play she has scored 163 points (18.1 ppg) and pulled down 70 rebounds. Burckhard registered her third double-double in the win over Western Illinois with 11 points and a career-best 12 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 on the season after reaching double figures in 11 games, including a season-best 22 points against Marquette. She averages 5.4 rebounds per game, while adding 13 steals and a team-leading 20 blocks. The senior also dished a career-best nine assists in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne and is averaging 2.9 assists per game. Larson is shooting 53.3 percent from the field and ranks second in the Summit League with 46.5 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 23 games for the Jacks as she averages 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and a team-best 3.8 assists per game. Cascio Jensen tied her career-best of seven boards in the win over Western Illinois. In the Summit League opener against Omaha, the senior turned in a career-high 14 points as she went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. She dished a season-high seven assists against Denver and Western Illinois. 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 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game is Tylee Irwin. The junior scored a season-best 14 points in the win at Western Illinois. Against North Dakota, Irwin pulled down a season-high 10 boards. 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 18 games and is turning in some impressive minutes off the bench for SDSU as she's averaging 6.7 points and 3.7 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 102 points and is shooting 52.6 percent from the field in Summit League play. She scored 10-plus points in the
six consecutive contests this season. In the win over North Dakota, the senior tied a career-best nine rebounds and three blocks.

Lindsey Theuninck is averaging 24.9 minutes and 4.8 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 12 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 17.5 minutes and 6.2 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 34 3-pointers.

Sophomores Jordan Ferrand and Addison Hirschman have appeared in 11 and 10 games, respective, while redshirt freshman Lauren Rongisch 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 22.1 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 44.6 percent from the field, while averaging 38.7 rebounds per game. The Jackrabbit defense holds their opponents to 59.9 points and a 37.4 FG percentage. State averages 16.7 assists per game, while holding an assist/turnover ratio of 1.1.

Scouting Oral Roberts
The Golden Eagles have a pair of players averaging double figures led by Keni Jo Lippe with 18.1 points per game. Lippe also averages a team-best 7.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

Rylie Torrey is averaging 13 points per game and is shooting 46.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Montserrat Brotons and Sarah Garvie are averaging 9 and 7.8 points per game, respectively.

Oral Roberts averages 67.7 points per game while its opponents score 68.9. The Golden Eagles outrebound its opposition, 40-35.7. ORU is shooting 38.4 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from long distance.

Misti Cussen is in her eight season at the helm of Oral Roberts with a record of 118-118.

Jackrabbits' Last Time Out
MACOMB, Ill. - South Dakota State women's basketball cruised to a 89-48 Summit League victory over Western Illinois on Thursday evening at Western Hall in Macomb, Ill.

The Jackrabbits advanced to 16-7 on the season with a 8-1 mark in Summit League play. Western Illinois, who ranks third in the league, fell to 11-11, 5-4 Summit.

Tori Nelson paced the Jackrabbits with 17 points. The freshman added six rebounds and a team-best two blocks. Paiton Burckhard registered her third double-double this season, second consecutive, with 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Tylee Irwin and Tagyn Larson added 14 and 13 points, respectively, to the offensive efforts.

Sydney Stapleton turned in 12 points, making a team-high four 3-pointers. The Jackrabbits shot 50 percent (31-of-62) and an impressive 59.1 percent (13-of-22) from beyond the arc. State held the Leathernecks to 24.6 percent shooting. Additionally, the Jacks held a 60-21 advantage on the boards.

Western Illinois opened the game going scoreless for the first six minutes as a 3-pointer by Larsona and an Irwin layup capped a 16-0 run for the Jackrabbits. SDSU lead 23-5 at conclusion of the first quarter.

The teams traded baskets throughout the second, but State held onto a 42-17 advantage at halftime.

Coming out of the locker room the Jacks went on an 8-2 run, including 3-pointer from Larson and Lindsey Theuninck to extend its lead to 31 points. SDSU led 67-28 headed into the final frame.

A 3-pointer by Jordan Ferrand midway through the fourth gave the Jacks its largest lead of 48 points. WIU outscored the Jacks 16-9 the rest of the way but the deficit was to great as State clinched a 89-48 victory.

Opponents Last Time Out
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts women's basketball team scored 32 points in the fourth quarter to take down Denver, 84-72, as four Golden Eagles scored in double figures Thursday evening at the Mabee Center.

The Golden Eagles went up by six in the first three minutes of the game. Denver came back to eventually go on an 11-4 run and take a 20-14 advantage with two minutes left. Nena Taylor hit a layup at the buzzer to make it a 20-19 game to close out the first 10 minutes.

The Pioneers had an eight point advantage at the five minute media timeout. Denver went up by nine before ORU went on an 8-0 run to pull back to within one before the half. Sarah Garvie hit two three-point buckets in the run. Keni Jo Lippe led the first half with seven points as the Golden Eagles shot 46.9 percent from the field and held the Pioneers to 35.3 percent.

Denver went up by as much as six in the third, but the Golden Eagles stayed with them to tie the game at the buzzer and take a 6-0 run into the fourth. Katie Kirkhart took the ball and drove the left side to make it a 52-52 game to close out the third. ORU shot 37.5 percent in the third and out-scored Denver, 16-15.

ORU took a two point lead in the fourth, their first lead since the first quarter after extending the run to 8-0. After back and forth play, the Golden Eagles took a lead and pushed it to eight with 5:30 to play. Rylie Torrey hit a three-point bucket with 3:31 to play to then put ORU up by 11. The team went up by as much as 12, which was the largest lead of the game by either team, and closed out the game with an 84-72 win. The Golden Eagles out-scored the Pioneers 32-20 in the fourth. ORU shot 72.7 percent in the fourth going 8-for-11 from the field.

A Win Would...

Improve South Dakota State to 21-6 in the all-time series
Advance the Jackrabbits to 17-7 on the season and 9-1 in the Summit League
Give the Jackrabbits its 16th straight win over the Golden Eagles

Loss Would...

Improve Oral Roberts to 21-6 all-time 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 reached the milestone of 1,000 program wins earlier this season 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 ranks No. 21 in the AP poll and 18 in the Coaches polls

Florida Gulf Coast is ranked No. 24 in the Coaches poll and is receiving votes in the AP 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) and No. 25/21 South Dakota.