Tim Knutson

The SDSU women’s basketball team won a pair of games played at home this past week. The Lady Jacks beat the Southwest Minnesota State Mustangs on Wednesday, and then went on to crush the North Dakota State Bison on Saturday.

The Lady Jacks dominated the defensive side of the ball to beat the Mustangs. On Feb. 1, the Lady Jacks shot 29 percent from the field and were out-rebounded by seven, but still managed to beat SMSU 56-31. The Mustangs were forced into 33 turnovers by the Jacks. The Lady Jacks held the Mustangs to just 25 percent shooting from the field, and SDSU gave up only eight points in the first half.

Senior Heather Sieler led the Jacks with 15 points and four assists. The Lady Jacks had nine different girls score en route to the 95-66 win.

The Lady Jacks then put their six-game home winning streak on the line against NDSU on Saturday night in front of 4,596 fans at Frost Arena. The Lady Jacks dominated, winning by 29. The ladies controlled the boards, grabbing 18 more than the Bison. The Jacks had 21 offensive boards. The Lady Jacks set a season high for three-pointers made, 15, which is one away from tying the team record. The 95 points put up by the Jacks were a season high.

Junior Megan Vogel led the Lady Jacks with a career high of 31 points. Vogel shot five-for-five from the three-point line. Seiler also set a career high in scoring with 20 points. Senior Christina Gilbert led SDSU with 10 rebounds. Gilbert had five rebounds on the offensive side of the ball. The Jacks hit 21 of 27 free throws in the second half.

The Jacks play five out of their last six games on the road. The Lady Jacks play on Feb. 11, at Texas-Pan American. They will be ending the season at home with a game against Central State (Ohio), on March 3.

The Lady Jacks are still eligible for the Women’s National Invational Tournament, and the remaining six games will be crucial in deciding whether or not they get in. Vogel said, “I think the season is going well. We have started to play some of our best basketball, and its important to do that at the end of the year. We have had some tough losses, but we have also had some great wins, and all we can do is continue to play well, and hope to reach our goal of making it to the WNIT.”

#1.884738:1610955514.jpg:sdsuvsndsu01_tc.jpg:Megan Vogel of SDSU gets fouled by Brandee Gibbs of NDSU in the Jackrabbits 29-point victory on Thursday night.:Ty Carlson