WOMEN DROP ROAD CONTEST TO KANSAS STATE

Thursday, December 10

Manhattan, Kan.

6:30 p.m.

South Dakota State University

3-1,0-0Summit League

Kansas State

3-2,0-0Big 12

South Dakota St.

Kansas St.

Photo by: Scott Weaver

12/10/2020 9:22:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

MANHATTAN, KAN. – No. 22/21 South Dakota State women's basketball suffered its first loss of the season against Kansas State 62-53 Thursday night on the road.

"Really tough start for us," said head coach Aaron Johnston. "One, we didn't make shots, two it was just all jump shots, so nothing really confidently pulling to the basket or making plays that can get you feeling a little bit better. I think Kansas State did a nice job defensively. Really physical, played a lot of man-to-man and just got us out of rhythm early."

For the Jackrabbits (3-1), who shot 38.9 percent from the field, Myah Selland scored 15 points to lead the team. Paiton Burckhard finished just shy of a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Tori Nelson scored nine points, recorded seven rebounds and dished three assists. Lindsey Theuninck added nine points, three assists and and a career-best five steals. As a team, the Jacks recorded 15 steals and scored 26 points in the paint.

After being held scoreless in the opening two minutes of action, Theuninck and Selland hit consecutive 3-pointers to tie the game at six at the 7:31 mark. Burckhard's free throw with 3:37 to play in the opening quarter broke a near four minute scoring drought for the Jacks. Kansas State continued the pressure and closed the quarter on a 7-0 run to hold an early 20-7 lead.

Layups by Madysen Vlastuin and Nelson within the first two minutes of the second quarter cut the Wildcat lead to 26-11. State's defense held tough, not allowing a K-State basket for the next four minutes. Kansas State's offense found its rhythm and went on a 10-4 run to take a 36-17 lead with just over two minutes to go in the half. A quiet end to the half led the Jacks into the locker room trailing 36-18.

The Jacks caught fire in the third quarter, scoring nine unanswered points to cut the K-State lead to 38-27 at the 7:29 mark. The Wildcats responded with a pair of free throws and a layup, however Theuninck's 3-pointer with 5:18 left in the quarter brought the Jacks within 12 (42-30). An 8-3 run featuring a layup by Haley Greer and three consecutive Burckhard layups brought the Jacks back within 11, but a K-State jumper at the buzzer ended the quarter with the Wildcats leading 51-38.

The two teams exchanged baskets to begin the final quarter of play. Three consecutive Jackrabbit layups brought State within single digits (57-48) with 5:02 to play. Selland's 3-pointer with 1:58 to go made it a 60-51 game, however the Jacks weren't able to overcome the deficit despite outscoring K-State 15-11 in the fourth quarter.

"The second half was such a good start, I really felt good about where we were at–thinking we could make a good push–but during the end of that third quarter, I thought we just gave up too many easy baskets and now they were back to a double digit lead and we just never got over that hump, so second half was much better, certainly offensively," Johnston said. "We played with a little bit more poise and composure but we were just too up and down defensively and that first half was too big of a hole to dig ourselves out of."

Game Notes