JACKRABBITS HOST COYOTES IN WEEKEND SHOWDOWN

Games 16 & 17 | No. 23 South Dakota State (13-2, 6-0) vs. South Dakota (10-3, 6-0)

When	Friday, Feb. 5 & Saturday, Feb. 6 \| 5 p.m.
Where	Frost Arena \| Brookings, S.D.
Live Audio / Radio	Jackrabbits All-Access \| Jackrabbit Sports Network I WNAX 570 AM \| Scotty Kwas
Television / Live Video	Friday - Midco Sports Network \| ESPN3 \| Jackrabbits All-Access \| Tom Nieman & Brad Newitt Saturday - Midco Sports Network \| ESPN3 \| Jackrabbits All-Access \| Tom Nieman & Brad Newitt
Live Stats	GoJacksLive.com
Game Notes	South Dakota State \| South Dakota
Social Media	Twitter I Facebook

No. 23 South Dakota State women's basketball is set to host in-state rival South Dakota on Friday, Feb. 5, and Saturday, Feb. 6, at Frost Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. each day.

The Jackrabbits, now 13-2 overall and 6-0 in Summit League action, return to play after an unexpected break after a pair of games at Denver were canceled. Most recently State earned a series sweep at home over North Dakota.

Tied with the Jackrabbits atop the Summit League standings, South Dakota enters the weekend 10-3 overall, 6-0 Summit. The Coyotes are also coming off a week where their games at Omaha were canceled. USD most recently swept Western Illinois.

This weekend's games will be part of the year-long South Dakota Showdown Series, an athletic and academic competition between the in-state rivals.

The Jackrabbits hold a 59-33 advantage in the all-time series over the Coyotes. When the teams met in the regular season a year ago, USD defeated State both on the road (83-48) and at home (77-67). Additionally, South Dakota captured the Summit League Tournament title with a 63-58 win over the Jackrabbits.

About South Dakota State
Myah Selland leads the team with 18.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest. She is shooting 50.8 percent from the field, including 32.7 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 36th on the list. On Jan. 22 against North Dakota, she tallied 19 points on a 63.6 percent shooting performance. She has scored 15-plus points in all 15 contests. Additionally, she has recorded five double-doubles this season and seven in her career. A Preseason All-Summit League First Team honoree for the Jacks, the Letcher native was named Summit League Player of the Week on Dec. 7, 21 and 28 and Jan. 11 as well as the Summit League December Female Athlete of the Month.

Paiton Burckhard is averaging 12.1 points and 5.4 rebounds, while playing 28.8 minutes per game. She is shooting 82.6 percent from the free throw line, sinking 38 of her 46 attempts. Burckhard ranked second on the team with 13 points in the win over Creighton. 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 a season-high 18 points at UNI while adding a team-best eight rebounds. 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. Burckhard has scored in double figures in 12 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 11.6 points and 3.9 rebounds, while adding 13 blocks and 13 steals. She is shooting a Summit League leading 92.5 percent from the free throw line, which is the 9th best mark in the nation. 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, she tallied 12 and 16 points in the pair of contests, respectively. On Jan. 22 against North Dakota, she led all scorers with 20 points. Irwin earned a spot on the Preseason All-Summit League Second Team for the second consecutive season.

Lindsey Theuninck has started all 15 contests for the Jackrabbits this season, while averaging 5.4 points and 2.3 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 5.7 points and 2.8 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 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 9.8 points per game and third with 4.1 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.

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. Herzberg has appeared in six contests.

State is outscoring its opponents 70.1-59.8 and holds them to 37.6 percent shooting, including 26.9 percent from long distance. Nationally, the Jackrabbits rank 32nd in free throws made with 221. Additionally, their 86.7 winning percentage ranks 20th nationally.

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 505-168.

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 1,059 career points, ranking 36th all-time. Two other Jackrabbits are approaching 1,000 point milestones. Tylee Irwin and Paiton Burckhard are at 907 and 839 points, respectively.

Scouting South Dakota
South Dakota enters the weekend 10-3 overall, 6-0 Summit. The Coyotes are also coming off a week where their games at Omaha were canceled. USD most recently swept Western Illinois. The Coyotes are currently receiving three votes in the AP Top 25.

South Dakota is led by the senior duo of Chloe Lamb and Hannah Sjerven. Lamb is averaging 17.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. She leads the leads the Summit this season in 3s made (33) and 3-point percentage (.423). Sjerven is averaging 17.1 points and a Summit-best 9.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. She is shooting 57.1 percent from the field.

Liv Korngable is averaging 15.8 points and a team-best 3.6 assists per game. Korngable, Lamb and Sjerven have started all 13 contests for the Coyotes. Sophomore Jeniah Ugofsky and freshman Maddie Krull round out the starting lineup.

As a team, South Dakota outscores its opponents, 76.9-57.5. The Coyotes are shooting a Summit League best 45.2 percent from the field. They hold a 6.8 rebounding margin.

Dawn Plitzuweit is in her fifth season at the helm of the Coyotes with a record of 120-27.

Jackrabbits' Last Time Out
South Dakota State women's basketball extended its winning streak to 10 games by defeating North Dakota 66-44 Saturday night.

The Jackrabbits, now 13-2 overall, 6-0 in Summit League play, shot 37.7 percent from the field, outrebounded North Dakota 49-44 and outscored the Fighting Hawks in the paint 34-28. Defensively, the Jacks held North Dakota to a 29.3 percent shooting performance from the field along with just two made 3-pointers.

Myah Selland and Paiton Burckhard each scored 15 points with Burckhard grabbing a career-best 14 rebounds and Selland adding six. Tylee Irwin finished with 14 points and six rebounds and Tori Nelson added six points, three rebounds and three assists. Lindsey Theuninck recorded four steals, four rebounds and two assists.

"Good win. I'm happy with what we did," head coach Aaron Johnston said. "If you can win by 22, shoot I think 37-38 percent from the field, below 50 percent from the free throw line and still win by 22, there's a lot of positives to walk away with. Certainly, we want to see ourselves make more shots, whether that'd be around the basket or just any of the open threes that we have, but I really think we had a good weekend, overall, and that's kind of the thought. Our defense was excellent this weekend. Both nights we really did a great job against a big front line, against an athletic team. That was as good of defense as we've played in a couple of games so far this year, so that's a real positive for us."

The Jacks dominated the first four minutes of action, opening the game on a 10-0 run. A North Dakota jumper at the 5:36 mark ended the streak and ignited a 12-5 UND run to make it a 15-12 game with two minutes remaining in the first. Back-to-back Jackrabbit baskets ended the quarter with State leading 19-12.

A 7-3 SDSU run to start the second brought the Jacks back in front by double digits (28-15) with 3:38 to play in the half. The Jackrabbits held the Fighting Hawks to just six points in the second as State went into the break leading 33-18.

Consecutive Jackrabbit jumpers stretched the lead to 39-20 at the 7:34 mark of the third. The two teams traded 6-0 runs over the next 2:19. The quarter ended with the Jacks and Fighting Hawks exchanging scores as State held a 50-32 lead.

Scoreless through the first two minutes of the final quarter, Selland's 3-pointer put the Jacks up by 20 with 7:49 to play. As North Dakota trimmed the deficit to 15, Madysen Vlastuin's 3-pointer sparked a 7-0 Jackrabbit run and increased the SDSU advantage to 62-40 with 3:33 remaining. SDSU's bench scored the final four points en route to a 66-44 victory.

"Offensively, we played well, we just didn't get the ball to go in the net," Johnston said. "We took care of the ball and had great spacing I thought, good rhythm, good looks, so I feel good about what we did. We're a better team today than we were a week ago and that's what we want to keep doing. I like the way we played and am excited about trying to move forward."

Opponent's Last Time Out
MACOMB, Ill.—A putback by Hannah Sjerven in the final minute gave South Dakota a lead it would not relinquish as the Coyotes escaped Western Hall with a 61-56 road win over Western Illinois.

The Coyotes (10-3, 6-0 Summit) edged out the Leathernecks (3-13, 2-6 Summit) for the team's closest win of the season. Eight of USD's 10 wins this season have been by double-digits as they entered the weekend series with the 17th-best scoring margin in the country.

"Every game, especially in conference, is a battle and our young ladies were incredibly resilient in finding a way to pick up this win," said USD head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. "We are excited to return to the Sanford Coyote Sports Center next weekend as we are finally home for the first time in 26 days."

Senior Liv Korngable scored a game-high 21 points while playing all 40 minutes for the Coyotes.

Sjerven posted her fourth double-double of the season with 17 points and 12 boards. She added three blocks and two steals to her stat line. Sjerven also became the 17th Coyote to score 1,000 points and grab 500 rebounds at South Dakota. She will be recognized with a 1,000-point ball ahead of next Friday's game versus Omaha.

Western Illinois was led by Danni Nichols' 19 points and nine boards. Grace Gilmore joined her in double-digits with 11 points.

USD led for just five minutes of the tight-knit contest that included nine lead changes and four tie-ups.

The squads traded baskets throughout the first quarter and into the second, but the Leathernecks took the lead out of the second-quarter media timeout with a 7-point run to lead 27-18. Western Illinois led 32-24 at the half, marking just the second time this year USD has trailed at the break.

USD came out of the locker-room with six-straight points, including back-to-back layups from Sjerven.

The Coyotes took the lead for the first time in 20 minutes when Sjerven completed a 3-point play early in the fourth period. Western Illinois responded with six unanswered points. A quick hustle play by senior Claudia Kunzer under the basket made it a one-point game, 52-51, with 3:29 remaining.

Neither team scored again until Sjerven's layup with 47 seconds to go gave USD a 53-52 advantage. South Dakota made 8-of-8 from the line, including four of Chloe Lamb's nine points, down the stretch to fend off the Leathernecks' attack with USD winning 61-56.
--goyotes.com

A Win Would...

Improve South Dakota State to 58-33 all-time against South Dakota
Improve State to 31-11 all-time in Frost Arena against the Coyotes
Keep the Jackrabbits undefeated in Summit League play
Extend State's winning streak to 11 games

A Loss Would...

Improve South Dakota to 34-57 all-time against the Jackrabbits
Extend the Coyotes winning streak to four games against the Jackrabbits

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 improved to No. 23.

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

-GoJacks.com-

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Players Mentioned

Paiton Burckhard

Mesa Byom

Jordan Ferrand

Haley Greer

Emily Herzberg

Addison Hirschman

Tylee Irwin

Tori Nelson

Regan Nesheim

Lauren Rongisch

Myah Selland

Sydney Stapleton

Kallie Theisen

Lindsey Theuninck

Madysen Vlastuin

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball versus Augustana (Exhibition) on October 29, 2025 at 6 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Women's Basketball at Creighton on November 3, 2025

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

Completed Event: Women's Basketball versus No. 2 Oral Roberts on March 9, 2025 , Win , 84, to, 68

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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