Women extend streak to nine, prepare to visit Bison and Coyotes

Jordan Raddatz, Sports Reporter

January 30, 2024

Paige Meyer works to set up the Jacks’ offense in their 96-80 victory over Oral Roberts in Frost Arena Jan. 28, 2024. Meyer had the most assists in a game by a Jackrabbit since around the 2009-2010 season with 11.

South Dakota State extend their win streak to nine games after a crushing win over Kansas City and Oral Roberts as they look ahead to their next two contests on the road at North Dakota State and South Dakota.
at Kansas City
When junior guard Lisa Thomas made the three-pointer at the first quarter buzzer, the Kansas City Roos thought they had momentum going into the second quarter. They held the lead by two points.
But the Jacks shut the Roos down in the second, as they were not able to replicate the success of the first quarter buzzer beater going into the halftime break.
Despite a slow 3-for-13 start on shots, the Jacks rebounded to finish with 42% of their shots converted. Two fouls against the Roos to start the second half aided the Jacks to open up the half with a 13-2 scoring run.
They ended the third quarter by scoring more points than they had in all of the first half. By the fourth quarter, the lead topped out at almost 30 points. The Roos closed the gap in the fourth, but it was too little, too late, as the Jacks won 72-49.
Tori Nelson and Paige Meyer led the Jacks in scoring with 14 points each. Madysen Vlastuin helped in the three-point department as she was responsible for three of the team’s five three-pointers.
The Roos were not as fortunate, finishing under 33% on their shots. No player for Kansas City put up double digit numbers, as the highest scorer was junior guard Nariyah Simmons with nine points.
“[Our team is] just a really good defensive team,” head coach Aaron Johnston said, “I thought it took us a little bit to handle their pressure and get comfortable, and as we did, our offense really kicked in.”
vs. Oral Roberts
Just like in Kansas City, the opponent made a buzzer beater: this time graduate guard Hannah Cooper at the end of the third quarter.
The Jacks, already with a considerable lead, didn’t seem shaken about it.
It was an even start for both teams in the first quarter. Brooklyn Meyer was responsible for seven points in the first five minutes to keep the Jacks close to the Golden Eagles. The game remained tied after two quarters at 37 each.

Ellie Colbeck dribbles the basketball during a game against Oral Roberts at Frost Arena in Brookings Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. (Evan Patzwald)

Once the second half got underway, the Jacks began to pull away with the lead. Four players put up double digits as the third quarter came to an end, allowing the Jacks to pull away with a 92-77 victory.
After the game, six Jackrabbits had double digit numbers, most notably Brooklyn Meyer with 27, who earned herself a weekly accolade on Monday. SDSU converted 58.7% of their shots.
Four Golden Eagles put up double digits. Redshirt sophomore guard Jalei Olgesby led the team with 23 points, tied for her second-most points in a game this season. ORU converted 50% of their shots.
“We struggled with [turnovers] early, but as we settled in, I thought our offense got much better,” Johnston said. The Jacks turned the ball over 22 times.
at North Dakota State
Off to Scheels Center, the Jacks will face the Bison team that has won four of their last five games. They are 11-8 and second place in the Summit League. Their last game was a win over St. Thomas.
Two Bison scored at least 20 points: sophomore guard Elle Evans with a career-high 29, and senior guard Heaven Hamling with 22. Evans leads the team in scoring, averaging nearly 15 points a game, with Hamling a close second at 14.3 points a game.
The game is scheduled to tip-off on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game can be watched on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
at South Dakota
Following the Bison game will be a trip to Vermillion to face South Dakota. They are on a two-game win streak as they sit at 15-7 overall and fourth place in the Summit League. Their last game ended with a win at home over Kansas City, Saturday, Jan. 27. They hit the road to play North Dakota on Thursday, Feb. 1 before the Jacks come to visit.
Junior guard Grace Larkins led the Coyotes in scoring with 21 points in the 72-62 victory over the Roos. She leads USD in scoring, averaging over 16 points a game. Larkins is also shooting over 50% this year, one of only two Coyotes to achieve this mark with at least 100 shot attempts.
The game is scheduled to tip-off on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. The game can be watched on Midco Sports Two and on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.