Jackrabbit women host Coyotes on Senior Day

Game 29 | South Dakota State (20-8, 12-2) vs. No. 20/15 South Dakota (25-2, 14-0)

When	Saturday, Feb. 22 \| 2 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 3 \| Tom Nieman, Brad Newitt, Elaina Lanson
Live Stats	GoJacksLive.com
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| South Dakota
Social Media	Twitter I Facebook

South Dakota State women's basketball hosts in-state rival No. 20/15 South Dakota Saturday on Senior Day. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m. inside Frost Arena.

SDSU will honor seniors, Megan Bultsma, Rylie Cascio Jensen and Tagyn Larson prior to the game.

The Jackrabbits (20-8, 12-2 Summit League), under the direction of head coach Aaron Johnston, return home after claiming a 74-61 Summit League road victory over North Dakota Thursday in Grand Forks, N.D.

South Dakota is 25-2 overall and remains undefeated in Summit League play with a 14-0 record. The Coyotes most recently defeated North Dakota State, 96-57.

The Jackrabbits hold a 57-31 advantage in the all-time series over the Coyotes. Earlier this season when the teams met, USD defeated State 83-48.

Get Off the Bench
For the fourth year in a row, fans attending this weekend's Showdown Series basketball games inside Frost Arena can make an impact across the state through the "Get Off the Bench" campaign, benefiting Feeding South Dakota.

The yearlong Showdown Series, an athletic and academic competition between in-state rivals University of South Dakota Coyotes and South Dakota State University Jackrabbits, takes center stage this weekend with a pair of contests in Brookings.

The contest tracks head-to-head match-ups and conference championship results between South Dakota State and South Dakota in 17 sports, with each school accumulating points toward the overall series championship. The Jackrabbits claimed a 14.5-11.5 win in last year's competition.

The Jackrabbits currently trail, 7.5 - 1.5, in the 2019-20 series, but four points on are on the line this weekend between the basketball games and the Summit League Swim and Dive Championships, presented by U.S Special Warfare.

The Series also recognizes outstanding academic achievement by the schools' student-athletes and aims to raise awareness, funds and donations for Feeding South Dakota, a statewide not-for-profit with the goal of eliminating hunger in South Dakota. More information can be found at SDCornShowdown.com.

As part of the SD Corn Showdown Series, Feeding South Dakota and both teams have come together for orange, the color that represents awareness for hunger.

At the conclusion of last year's Showdown Series, Feeding South Dakota was able to provide 280,000 meals for adults and children throughout the state because of a generous $70,000 donation from South Dakota Corn.

With the "Get off the Bench" campaign, fans are encouraged to donate in support of hunger awareness and the fight to end hunger. Fans attending the games can donate by swiping their credit/debit cards at "dip jars" located at the concessions stands, or through cash donations at collection sites near arena entrances. Donations also can be made online at feedingsouthdakota.org/showdown.

Both South Dakota State and South Dakota are properties of Learfield IMG College, which manages multimedia rights for nearly 250 collegiate properties around the country. Other Learfield IMG College partners hosting rivalry series include Oklahoma/Oklahoma State (Bedlam Series) and Iowa/Iowa State (Cy-Hawk Series).

About South Dakota State
Paiton Burckhard is averaging a team-best 14.6 points and 5.9 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 22 contests, including 20-plus points in seven games. She ranks third in the Summit League with a 54.1 field goal percentage on a team-high 394 total points. In Summit League play she has scored 227 points (16.2 ppg) and pulled down 92 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 11.2 points on the season after reaching double figures in 14 games, including a season-best 22 points against Marquette. She is tied for a team-best 5.9 rebounds per game, while adding 16 steals and a team-leading 25 blocks. The senior also dished a career-best nine assists in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne and is averaging 3.2 assists per game. Larson is shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 40.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Sioux Falls native turned in her first double-double of the season to lead the Jacks to a victory over Oral Roberts with 17 points and 14 rebounds. 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 is the only Jackrabbit this season to earn the starting assignment in all 28 games as she averages 6.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and ranks third in the Summit League with a team-best 3.9 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 8.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game is Tylee Irwin. The junior scored a season-best 16 points in the win over Purdue Fort Wayne. Against North Dakota, Irwin pulled down a season-high 10 boards. She blocked a career-best three shots against Omaha and Western Illinois. In Summit League play, the junior is averaging 10.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. 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 23 games and is turning in productive minutes off the bench for SDSU as she's averaging 7.5 points and 4 rebounds per game. In the win at 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 159 points and is shooting 52.8 percent from the field in Summit League play. She has scored 10-plus points in 10 contests this season. In the win over North Dakota, the senior tied a career-best nine rebounds and three blocks.

Lindsey Theuninck is averaging 24.5 minutes and 4.6 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 earned a starting assignment in 12 contests. At 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 5.9 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 ranks second on the squad from beyond the arc with a total 38 3-pointers.

Sophomores Jordan Ferrand and Addison Hirschman have appeared in 15 and 14 games, respective, while redshirt freshman Lauren Rongisch has played in 12.

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 22.5 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. Nelson has started in 14 games for the Jackrabbits and is averaging 10.1 points per game in Summit League action.

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 44.7 percent from the field, while averaging 39.3 rebounds per game. The Jackrabbit defense holds their opponents to 59.7 points and a 37.3 FG percentage. State averages 17.4 assists per game, while holding an assist/turnover ratio of 1.2.

Scouting No. 20/15 South Dakota
South Dakota is led on offense by Ciara Duffy who is averaging 17.1 points and 5.2 assists per game. The senior is shooting 51.6 percent from the field and a Summit League-best 47.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Hannah Sjerven and Chloe Lamb average 12.1 and 11 points per game, respectively. Sjerven paces the defensive efforts with 48 total blocks and 7 rebounds per game.

Madison McKeever has a team-high 43 steals. Taylor Frederick provides depth to the team, averaging 9.8 points per game off the bench for the Coyotes.

South Dakota sits atop the Summit League standings and is averaging a league-best 82.4 points per game. The Coyotes are shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc. USD allows a Summit League-best 56.6 points per game. South Dakota outrebounds its opponents 37.9-30.2.

If Saturday's contest ends in the Coyotes favor, they will clinch the Summit League regular season title.

Dawn Plitzuweit is in her fourth season as head coach at South Dakota with a record of 105-24.

Jackrabbits' Last Time Out
GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- South Dakota State women's basketball claimed a 74-61 Summit League road victory over North Dakota Thursday evening at the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

The Jackrabbits advanced to 20-8 overall and 12-2 in Summit League play, while UND fell to 14-12, 5-8 Summit League.

A well-balanced SDSU squad had six players score in double figures led by Tylee Irwin with 15 points and a team-best seven boards. Tori Nelson turned in 14 points and pulled down five boards, while Rylie Cascio Jensen and Paiton Burckhard scored 11 points apiece. Seniors Megan Bultsma and Tagyn Larson turned in 13 and 10 points, respectively.

The Fighting Hawks were led by Kacie Borowicz with 19 points.

The Jacks shot 48.2 percent (27-of-56) compared to UND at 45.7 percent (21-of-46). SDSU also held a 30-29 edge in rebounds.

While the Fighting Hawks scored the first points of the game, a 7-0 run, including a Cascio Jensen 3-pointer, put the Jackrabbits ahead 7-2. A Bultsma free throw lifted the Jackrabbits ahead by as many as nine, but a 6-2 run put UND within five to close the quarter.

UND outscored State 17-15 in the second quarter, coming within one point on three occasions, but the SDSU held onto a 31-28 lead at the half.

The Jackrabbits gained momentum out of the break going on a 15-3 run to lead 46-32. Irwin, Cascio Jensen and Burckhard sank three consecutive 3-pointers to give the Jacks its largest lead of 18 midway through the fourth. UND was unable to close the gap as South Dakota State sealed a 74-61 victory.

Opponents Last Time Out
VERMILLION, S.D.—South Dakota senior guard Ciara Duffy scored a team-high 22 points as the No. 20/15 Coyotes rolled past North Dakota State 96-57 inside the Sanford Coyote Sports Center on Thursday night.

No. 20/15 South Dakota (25-2, 14-0 Summit) clinched at least a share of the Summit League regular season title on Thursday night with the victory. The Coyotes visit second-place South Dakota State on Saturday for their first chance to win the title outright. It marks the fourth regular season title by the Coyotes in the last six years and the second championship for USD head coach Dawn Plitzuweit.

"Tonight our energy and effort was really good from the start," said Plitzuweit. "This was a special night for a couple of reasons. The support from everyone for a great cause for breast cancer awareness and the funds raised for Dakota Hospital Foundation with our jersey auction made this an incredible evening.

"On top of that, the members of Coach P's Pack made it a memorable evening and it was awesome to have our yearly reunion with those young ladies in grades three through eight.

"We now have to turn around and get prepared and rested quickly for our game on Saturday afternoon."

Duffy scored 22 points on 10-15 shooting with just one triple – she sank several long jumpers just inside the 3-point line. She added four assists and three steals. It marked Duffy's 10th 20-point game this season.

Junior guard Chloe Lamb and senior forward Taylor Frederick also reached double-figures. Lamb tallied 15 points and Frederick added 12 more.

Junior center Hannah Sjerven pitched in a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Five of her boards were on the offensive glass, as the Coyotes outscored the Bison 17-5 on second-chance points.

North Dakota State (8-17, 5-8 Summit) won the opening tip and got off to a hot start. The Bison made eight of their first 11 buckets to finish the first period shooting at a 72.7 percent clip. However, the Coyotes got five offensive boards in the first quarter and forced seven Bison turnovers to lead 25-18 after one. Frederick scored seven of her 12 points in the opening frame.

South Dakota's defense slowed NDSU's momentum in the second period with the Bison only scoring seven points. The Coyotes led 49-25 at the half. South Dakota drew out its lead to 37 points by the start of the fourth period.

Five Coyote bench players played the entire fourth quarter with junior guard Claudia Kunzer and senior forward Megan Bonar each scoring seven points. It marked a season-high against a Division I opponent for both. Freshman forward Jeniah Ugofsky added six points with four rebounds.

Bison guard Michelle Gaislerova and freshman guard Ryan Cobbins paced the Bison with 15 and 10 points, respectively. Cobbins was the only Bison to reach double-digits with the Coyotes in the first meeting.

South Dakota shot 51.5 percent (34-of-66) from the floor while North Dakota State made 44.7 percent (21-of-47) from the field. The Coyotes capitalized with 31 points off 24 Bison turnovers on the night.

South Dakota turns around to face in-state rival South Dakota State at 2 p.m. Saturday inside Frost Arena in Brookings, South Dakota.

A Win Would...

Improve South Dakota State to 58-31 in the all-time series
Advance the Jackrabbits to 21-8 on the season and 13-2 in the Summit League
Improve the Jacks to 2-2 versus ranked opponents this season

Loss Would...

Improve South Dakota to 32-57 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. 20 in the AP poll and 15 in the Coaches polls

Florida Gulf Coast is ranked No. 22 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.

-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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Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Rice on November 7, 2025 at 7 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Murray State on November 11, 2025 at 7 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Montana on November 15, 2025 at 6 p.m. MT / 7 p.m. CT

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Gonzaga on November 20, 2025

Completed Event: Women's Basketball at No. 2 [#3/3] UConn on March 24, 2025 , Loss , 57, to, 91

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus No. 7 [#17/19] Oklahoma State on March 22, 2025 , Win , 74, to, 68

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Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus No. 5 North Dakota on March 8, 2025 , Win , 84, to, 55

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus No. 8 Omaha on March 6, 2025 , Win , 87, to, 67

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

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