South Dakota State returns to Brookings to host Montana State Saturday afternoon in the second Big Sky-Summit League Challenge contest for both programs.
This is the fifth all-time meeting between these teams. The Jackrabbits lead the series 4-1 however the Bobcats won the most recent meeting 71-66 in Bozeman last season.
Montana State is 8-6 on the season and has won five consecutive contests, including a 65-45 home win over North Dakota State Wednesday night. The Bobcats' win streak dates back to a December 17 win over Wyoming. MSU is led by a pair of players averaging about 13 points per night - Lexi Deden (13.8 PPG) and Katelynn Limardo (13.3 PPG).
South Dakota State is 8-5 on the year and coming off back-to-back wins in the last week. The Jackrabbits began their conference season with a 74-53 victory at North Dakota on New Year's Eve, then defeated Northern Arizona 110-102 in double overtime Wednesday night in Flagstaff.
Paige Meyer dropped 37 points in that contest, including 30 in regulation, while
Brooklyn Meyer posted a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double.
KEY STORYLINES
- SDSU is back at Frost Arena following four straight games on the road. Saturday's game is SDSU's first at home since December 12.
- The Jacks are 8-5 on the year with four of five losses coming to ranked teams.
- The Jackrabbits are coming off a 110-102 double overtime win over Northern Arizona Wednesday night. Down 13 with less than five minutes remaining, the Jacks battled back to tie the game in the final minute and went on to win by eight in 2OT.
- Paige Meyer dropped 37 points (30 in regulation) against the Lumberjacks on 12-of-17 shooting and an 11-for-11 mark from the charity stripe.
- Paige Meyer's 37 points is the most for a Jackrabbit since Karla Stevenson scored 38 against NDSU in February 1987.
- Overall, Paige and Brooklyn Meyer lead the Jacks with 15.8 points per game apiece. Brooklyn Meyer also tallies 9.2 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while Paige Meyer averages 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals per night. All numbers lead the team.
Madison Mathiowetz averages 9.8 points per game on the season but has put up 12.4 points per game at a .507 clip over the last seven games.
- Mesa Byom contributed career-bests in both rebounds (12) and blocks (5) at Northern Arizona Wednesday. She played all 10 minutes of overtime and tallied six rebounds and four blocks in that stretch.
- Tori Nelson ranks fifth all-time on SDSU's career games played chart (137). She has started every game this year and in each of the previous two seasons.
- Tori Nelson scores 8.6 points per game for the Jacks and ranks second on the team in assists (2.8), blocks (1.7) and steals (1.1).
- Madysen Vlastuin plays nearly 31 minutes per game and contributes 6.9 points on average. She is .439 from beyond the arc this year and 25 of her 32 made field goals this year have come from the 3-point line.
-GoJacks.com-