JACKRABBITS HEAD SOUTH TO FACE ORAL ROBERTS

Saturday, February 13

Tulsa, Okla.

1 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Oral Roberts

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

2/12/2021 10:44:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Games 18 & 19 | No. 23 South Dakota State (15-2, 8-0) at Oral Roberts (6-10, 4-4)

When	Saturday, Feb. 13 & Sunday, Feb. 14 \| 1 p.m.
Where	Mabee Center \| Tulsa, Okla.
Live Audio / Radio	Jackrabbits All-Access \| Jackrabbit Sports Network I WNAX 570 AM \| Brad Peterson
Television / Live Video	ORUAthletics.com
Live Stats	ORUAthletics.com
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| Oral Roberts
Social Media	Twitter I Facebook

No. 23 South Dakota State women's basketball hits the road for a pair of games at Oral Roberts Saturday, Feb. 13, and Sunday, Feb. 14. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. each day inside the Mabee Center.

The games were originally schedule for 2 p.m. but were moved due to the forecasted inclement weather coming into Tulsa.

The Jackrabbits, now 15-2 overall and 8-0 in Summit League action, readies for its first road game in a month. State sits at the top of the Summit League standings after sweeping in-state rival South Dakota to remain undefeated in conference play and extend its winning streak to 12 games.

Oral Roberts enters the weekend 6-10 overall, 4-4 Summit. Last weekend the Golden Eagles dropped a pair of games to North Dakota State.

The Jackrabbits hold a 21-6 advantage in the all-time series over the Golden Eagles. When the teams met a year ago, State defeated ORU both at home (58-44) and on the road (76-61).

About South Dakota State
Myah Selland leads the team with 19.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per contest. She is shooting 50.2 percent from the field, including 32.8 percent from beyond the arc. She is the Summit League leader in points, points per game, and field goals made. In her first game since Dec. 5, 2019, Selland made an immediate impact as she recorded 19 points, five boards, two assists and two blocks to help the Jacks defeat then-No. 15 Iowa State. Selland carried the Jackrabbits to an overtime win over then-No. 18 Gonzaga with 18 points. The redshirt junior registered a double-double as she led the Jacks with 21 points and 11 rebounds against Drake. In the win over No. 20 Missouri State, she paced the squad with yet another double-double, including 19 points and 10 rebounds, while adding a season-best six assists and four steals. In the win over Montana State, Selland registered her third-straight double-double with 27 points and 12 rebounds. On Jan. 9, she registered her fifth double-double of the season with 11 rebounds and a career-best 29 points against Western Illinois. In the first game at Omaha, Selland led all scorers with 20 points. Her 10th point in the contest marked her 1,000th career point as she became the 38th Jackrabbit all-time to reach the milestone and currently ranks 35th on the list. On Jan. 22 against North Dakota, she tallied 19 points on a 63.6 percent shooting performance. Selland led all scorers in both wins over the Coyotes with 17 and 26 points, respectively. In the first game against USD, she also tied a career-best nine assists. She has scored 15-plus points in all 17 contests. Additionally, she has recorded five double-doubles this season and seven in her career.

Paiton Burckhard is averaging 12.4 points and 5.4 rebounds, while playing 28.8 minutes per game. She is shooting 83 percent from the free throw line, sinking 44 of her 53 attempts. In the overtime win over Gonzaga, she recorded 14 points, five rebounds and played a career-high 41 minutes. She was just shy of a double-double with 13 points and a team-leading nine rebounds in the contest at Kansas State. She paced the team with 18 points at and eight rebounds at UNI. Burckhard posted 13 points and five rebounds in the win at Missouri State. Against Montana State, she tallied 14 points and seven rebounds. In the pair of contests against Western Illinois, Burckhard posted back-to-back double-figure contests as she tallied 13 and 10 points, respectively. She tallied 12 points in each of the games at Omaha. In the second game against North Dakota she registered a double-double with 15 points and a career-best 14 rebounds. In the second win over South Dakota, she tallied a season-high 22 points and sank a career-best four 3-pointers. Burckhard has scored in double figures in 13 games this season. She has registered one double-double this season and four in her career. The Aberdeen native earned Preseason All-Summit League First Team honors after being selected to the All-Summit League First Team for the 2019-20 season.

Tylee Irwin is averaging 11.7 points and 4.1 rebounds, while adding 13 blocks and 13 steals. She is shooting 92.5 percent from the free throw line. Against Creighton, she turned in eight points, seven rebounds and tied a career-high three blocks. Irwin played a career-high 37 minutes in the win over Gonzaga as she recorded 16 points, three rebounds and one block off the bench. She earned the starting assignment for the first time this season at Kansas State. Against Drake, she tallied 14 points in the 22 minutes she played off the bench. In the win over Montana State, she tied her career-best of 22 points while adding five rebounds and a team-best five assists. The senior continues to turn in valuable minutes for the Jackrabbits as she tallied 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks to close out non-conference play with a win over UNI. Against Western Illinois, Irwin tallied 12 and 16 points in the pair of contests, respectively. On Jan. 22 against North Dakota, she led all scorers with 20 points. She recorded 12 points in each of the wins over USD. In the first contest she led the team on the boards with seven rebounds. Irwin earned a spot on the Preseason All-Summit League Second Team for the second consecutive season.

Lindsey Theuninck has started all 17 contests for the Jackrabbits this season, while averaging 5.1 points and 2.2 assists per game. The redshirt junior pulled down a career-best eight rebounds against North Dakota. Theuninck tallied 10 points and five assists in the win over UNI. She dished a team-best five assists and added 11 points against Drake. She tallied nine points and a career-high five steals at Kansas State. Against then-No. 18 Gonzaga, Theuninck posted six rebounds and 11 points, including the overtime game-winning 3-pointer. She turned in nine points, while tallying a team-best six boards and three assists against Iowa State. In the win over Creighton, she added five points, four rebounds and three assists.

Haley Greer is averaging 4.9 points and 2.6 assists per game. Against Gonzaga, she became the first Jackrabbit since 2000 to dish 10-plus assists in a game. Greer posted eight points and three assists to help the Jackrabbits to a victory over Creighton. She led SDSU in her debut as a Jackrabbit with a career-best 20 points as she went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc en route to being named Summit League Player of the Week. She joins the Jackrabbits as a graduate transfer after spending four years at Colgate. Greer, a 5-10 guard from Winnetka, Ill., comes in after leading Colgate in 3-pointers made (34) and blocked shots (23) while averaging 8.1 points per game in 2019-20.

Sydney Stapleton recorded four points, three assists, and two steals against Iowa State. The Blaine, Minn. native added four points to the Jackrabbits efforts against Creighton. At Montana State, she tallied six points. Stapleton posted three points in a contest against both Western Illinois and Omaha. She tallied a season-best 11 points against USD as she went 3-of-3 from long distance. She averaged 17.1 minutes and 5.5 points per game off the bench a season ago.

The duo of Kallie Theisen and Tori Nelson return for their sophomore seasons.

Nelson has started all 15 contests for the Jackrabbits and ranks fourth on the team with 9.6 points per game and third with 4.0 rebounds per game. In round two at Omaha, she tallied 12 points. In the pair of contests against Western Illinois, she posted back-to-back double-figure contests as she tallied 11 and 10 points, respectively. The sophomore paced the squad with 18 points to lead the Jackrabbits to a home victory over UNI. She tallied a season-high 18 points against Drake. Nelson recorded 12 points against Iowa State and eight in the win over Creighton. Additionally, against Gonzaga she posted nine points, three rebounds and three assists. She recorded nine points and dished three assists at Kansas State. Nelson tired a career-best three steals at UNI. At home against UNI, Nelson paced the team with 18 points and a career-best three blocks. The reigning Summit League Freshman of the Year, averaged 22.7 minutes per game and tallied 19 starting assignments last season.

Theisen appeared in 14 games and averaged 15.9 minutes before suffering a season ending injury last season. She returned to play for the first time in 397 days on Jan. 22 against North Dakota. She pulled down five and two rebounds, respectively, in the pair of games against the Coyotes.

Regan Nesheim has made an immediate impact in her collegiate debut. After redshirting last season, she made her first collegiate appearance at UNI where she recorded a steal in the two minutes she played. In the wins over Drake and Missouri State she recorded five points in each contest. At Montana State she played 30 minutes and turned in a solid defensive performance with eight rebounds and two blocks. Nesheim tied her career bests of eight rebounds and five points in the rematch against UNI.

Addison Hirschman and Lauren Rongisch have played in five contests this season, while Jordan Ferrand has appeared eight.

A trio of freshmen in Emily Herzberg, Madysen Vlastuin and Mesa Byom will round out the 2020-21 roster. Vlastuin and Byom are averaging 13 and 7.6 minutes per game, respectively. In the home victory over Creighton, Byom sank her first collegiate 3-pointer, while Vlastuin made one against Gonzaga. Additionally, Byom recorded six points at Omaha. Vlastuin made a career-best nine points at Omaha as she sank three 3-pointers. The Lennox native has made at least one 3-pointer in eight contests. Herzberg has appeared in six contests.

State is outscoring its opponents 70.4-59.8 and holds them to 37.8 percent shooting, including 21.4 percent from long distance. Nationally, the Jackrabbits rank 17th in free throws made with 258. Additionally, their 88.2 winning percentage ranks 16th nationally.

Selland Honored
Myah Selland was one of 10 women to be named a semifinalist for the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year presented by Her Hoop Stats.

Selland has been named the Summit League Player of the Week five times (Dec. 7, 21 and 28, Jan. 11, and Feb. 8) this season, which matches Macy Miller's total during the 2017-18 season for the most by a Jackrabbit player and ranks tied for third all-time in a season for Summit League women's basketball. She was also named the Summit League Athlete of the Month for both December and January.

The Letcher native was a Preseason All-Summit League First Team honoree for the Jacks.

Major Milestones
Head coach Aaron Johnston reached his 500th career win on Friday, Jan. 8, as the Jackrabbits defeated Western Illinois, 71-61. All of Johnston's wins have come at the helm of South Dakota State. In his 21 seasons, he has led the Jackrabbits to a Division II National Championship, nine Summit League Tournament titles, six Summit League regular season titles, and 13 postseason appearances, including nine NCAA Tournament berths. Johnston is South Dakota State's and the Summit League's all-time winningest women's basketball coach with a record of 507-168.

Myah Selland became the 38th Jackrabbit to join the 1,000 point club with her 10th point of the game on Jan. 15 at Omaha. She currently has 1,102 career points, ranking 35th all-time. Two other Jackrabbits are approaching 1,000 point milestones. Tylee Irwin and Paiton Burckhard are at 931 and 867 points, respectively.

Scouting Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts enters the weekend 6-10 overall, 4-4 Summit. Last weekend the Golden Eagles dropped a pair of games to North Dakota State. The squad has spit series with Kansas City and Denver, while sweeping North Dakota.

Keni Jo Lippe leads the way for the Golden Eagles as she averages 15.7 points and 2.8 assists in the 11 games she's played this season. She is shooting 39.4 percent from the field, including 34.3 percent from long distance, and pulls down 4.6 boards per game.

Tierney Coleman is averaging 11.3 points per game, while Regan Schumacher averages 9.8 points and a team-best 8.5 rebounds per game. Schumacher also leads the squad with 10 blocks.

As a team, Oral Roberts is being outscored by its opponents, 78.8-66.1. The Golden Eagles are shooting 35.7 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from long distance.

Misti Cussen is in her ninth season at the helm of the Golden Eagles with a record of 130-132.

Jackrabbits' Last Time Out
No. 23-ranked South Dakota State women's basketball used a big fourth quarter run to secure an 80-75 comeback victory over South Dakota Saturday evening at Frost Arena.

The Jackrabbits, now 15-2 overall and 8-0 in the Summit League, shot 49.1 percent from the field, went 21-of-22 at the free throw line and made seven 3-pointers.

The Coyotes fell to 10-5 overall and 6-2 in conference play.

Myah Selland led the way for the Jacks with 26 points while Paiton Burckhard scored 22 points, including a 4-of-5 performance from 3-point range. Burckhard also recorded five rebounds. Tylee Irwin finished with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists as Tori Nelson scored nine of her 11 points in the second half and pulled down three boards.

"What a game. It was a great finish for us," head coach Aaron Johnston said. "Those last three minutes, we were as good as we absolutely had to be. It seemed like we made every defensive play we needed to, every rebound, every offensive play, those last three minutes really went our way. The first part of that fourth quarter really went their way. They did a great job of breaking us down, they did a good job in our zone and finding open shooters. We just really didn't defend as well as we needed to throughout that whole second half. I think it was tied going into the fourth, so it was a back and forth game throughout."

Back-to-back Jackrabbit 3-pointers got the Jacks off to a fast start in the first two minutes of play. The six-point tilt was the largest lead of the first quarter for the Jacks as the Coyotes stayed within two possessions for the remainder of the quarter. Burckhard and Selland scored 14 of the first 17 SDSU points.

Consecutive SDSU baskets put the Jacks up by seven at the 5:37 mark in the second quarter, but the Coyotes climbed back with a 5-0 run to make it a 24-22 game with 4:13 left in the half. South Dakota's first lead of the game came on a 7-2 run to close the half with the score at 29-28.

Seven of the first nine SDSU points of the second half came from Burckhard as the Jacks held a 37-35 edge with 7:37 remaining in the quarter. South Dakota followed with a 7-2 run to take a 42-39 lead at the media timeout. Both teams exchanged free throws and points in the paint for the rest of the quarter as Nelson's second chance basket beat the buzzer to tie the game at 53-all.

South Dakota made its first four field goals of the fourth quarter as part of an 11-4 run. Just when the Coyotes looked to break away, leading by eight with just under three minutes to play, the Jacks used a game-clinching 13-0 run in the final 2:31 to secure the comeback win. In the midst of the spurt, Irwin hit a game-winning go-ahead jumper forcing a USD timeout. Coming out of the timeout, Nelson stole the inbounds pass and was fouled, putting the Jacks in the bonus the rest of the way.

"We just couldn't really get the defensive presence that we needed to slow them down," Johnston said. "I thought their perimeter players were really good throughout the game and they did a good job of breaking us down on the penetration. Just really proud of the last three minutes, how hard we played, the focus and mentality to stay in there when you feel like things aren't going your way and making plays you need to, so that was a great way for us to finish a great weekend."

Opponent's Last Time Out
FARGO, N.D. – Freshman Faith Paramore scored a career high 17 points in the Oral Roberts women's basketball team 78-63 loss in game two of the weekend series at North Dakota State Saturday evening in Fargo, North Dakota.

Making her first career start, Hannah Giddey put ORU up 4-0 early in the game after a bucket by Regan Schumacher in the opening possession. The Bison started the game hot from the field shooting 67 percent overall and 3-for-3 from long-range in the first six minutes. After trailing by as much as 12 in the first quarter, the Golden Eagles pulled to within six to close out the first trailing, 25-19.

NDSU went back up by nine early in the second, but Tierney Coleman hit a three-point jumper a few minutes later to bring it within two. Tierney Coleman then tied the game, 30-30, with six minutes left in the first half. The Bison went on a 7-0 run in the second to go up by nine, but the Golden Eagles pulled to within seven, 42-35, at the break. Schumacher scored 16 points in the first half as ORU shot 43.8 percent from the field.

The Golden Eagles came out in the second half and sparked a quick 5-0 run to pull to within two. The Bison went up by nine after back-to-back three-point baskets. ORU trailed by as much as 18 in the fourth as NDSU out-scored the Golden Eagles 20-13 in the final frame to win 78-63. Faith Paramore recorded a career high 17 points on 8-for-14 shooting and one free-throw.
--oruathletics.com

A Win Would...
•          Improve South Dakota State to 22-6 all-time against Oral Roberts
•          Keep the Jackrabbits undefeated in Summit League play
•          Extend State's winning streak to 13 games

A Loss Would...
•          Improve Oral Roberts to 7-22 all-time against the Jackrabbits
•          Give the Golden Eagles its first win over the Jackrabbits since 2012

In the Polls
South Dakota State has been at least receiving votes in both the AP Top 25 Poll and the USA TODAY/Coaches Poll all season.

On Dec. 7 after beating then 15th-ranked Iowa State and then-No. 18 Gonzaga, the Jackrabbits entered the AP Poll for the first time in 11 years at No. 22. Additionally, State was tabbed No. 21 in the Coaches Poll that week. The squad dropped out of the polls but continued to receive votes for five consecutive weeks. State reentered the AP Top 25 at No. 25 on Jan. 25. In the most recent poll, the Jacks are ranked 23rd.

The Jackrabbits ranked No. 25 in the Coaches Poll on Dec. 22 and 29. They are currently receiving 37 votes in the most re-cent poll.

Up Next
The Jackrabbits will conclude a four game road stretch at North Dakota State, Feb. 19-20.

-GoJacks.com-