JACKS DOMINATE BULLDOGS, ADVANCE IN WNIT

Thursday, March 24

Brookings, S.D.

7:00 PM

South Dakota State University

26-9,17-1Summit League

Drake

20-14,9-9MVC

Drake

South Dakota St.

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia

3/24/2022 9:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Tyler Merriam

Stop if you've heard this one before. A dominant third quarter propelled South Dakota State to victory in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.

The Jackrabbits compiled a 23-5 run in the third period, establishing a program record for most steals against a Division I foe, en route to a 84-66 win over Drake Thursday night at Frost Arena.

SDSU (26-9) won its 13th in a row at Frost Arena and will have a chance to extend that streak Sunday when it hosts Alabama at 5 p.m. in the Postseason WNIT Quarterfinals.

The visiting Bulldogs were full of bite in the opening half, as the teams exchanged the lead eight times alongside five lead changes. Drake's final edge, 32-30, preceded a three-minute scoring drought to end the half. The Jacks led 36-32 at the break.

Drake scored the opening bucket of the third quarter. SDSU replied by forcing one turnover after another, and converting on the other end, as Drake managed only three field goals the rest of the stanza. State led 61-43 when the buzzer sounded, a 25-11 advantage in the quarter, and the home team walked to its bench as the period ended while a crowd of 3,114 roared with approval via a standing ovation.

The Jacks forced 10 turnovers in the third quarter alone and 25 for the game, tallying 32 points off of those miscues. SDSU's 20 steals is the most ever by a Jackrabbit team against a Division I program.

Thursday marked the first time this season two Jackrabbits eclipsed the 20-point mark. Myah Selland tallied a game-high 21 points alongside seven rebounds, going a perfect 6-for-6 at the line, while Paiton Burckhard scored 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting.

Tori Nelson added 16 points for the Jacks, who dished out 21 assists on 31 made field goals.

SDSU's next opponent, Alabama, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 79-64 home win over Houston in Tuscaloosa.

NOTES

SDSU has outscored its three WNIT opponents by a total of 38 points in the third quarter.
Selland has 1,553 points in her career, which ranks 10th in program history.
SDSU has won 13 consecutive games in Frost Arena, the eighth-longest active home court win streak in Division I.
The Jacks now lead the all-time series with Drake 4-2

UP NEXT
The Jackrabbits host Alabama Sunday at 5 p.m. in Frost Arena in the quarterfinals of the Postseason WNIT.

-GoJacks.com-